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American cracked lichen

Scientific Name: Acarospora americana

Family: Acarosporaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Acarospora americana

Also known as American Cracked Lichen, Acarospora americana is a species of lichen belonging to the Acarosporaceae family.

Considerations for Pets

  • This lichen has a cracked or areolate appearance, meaning it is separated into segments.
  • The text mentions the dry lichen thallus can be brittle and easily broken into fragments.

Considerations for Children

  • This lichen has a cracked or areolate appearance, meaning it is separated into segments.
  • The text mentions the dry lichen thallus can be brittle and easily broken into fragments.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Acarospora americana H. Magn.
  • Rank: Species
  • Family: Acarosporaceae
  • Common Name: American Cracked Lichen
  • Synonyms: None explicitly stated, but the text mentions other Acarospora species such as Acarospora amphibola, Acarospora applanata, Acarospora aeruginosa, and Acarospora anomala.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to the U.S.
  • Found in North America.
  • Specific locations mentioned include PR, Virgin Islands, VI, Navassa Island, NAV, Canada, CAN, Greenland, GL, Saint Pierre and Michelon, SPM.
  • It grows in the open and in areas with partial shade on soils, rocks, walls, and cracks.
  • A rare habitat type in North America.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Lichenous growth habit.
  • Cracked crusts that are separated into segments (areoles) are called areolate. They may look like a cobblestone road or cracked up old paint.
  • The lichen body (thallus) can appear white and cracked.

Ecological Role

  • Lichens are described as "dual organisms" because they are symbiotic, involving a partnership with a photosynthetic partner (e.g., algae or cyanobacteria).

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Snail herbivory decreases cyanobacterial abundance and lichen diversity along cracks of limestone.

Quirky Facts

  • The text alludes to the term "narcotic lichen" without providing further explanation, raising curiosity.
  • The phrase "cobblestone lichens or cracked lichens" is commonly used to describe the appearance of these lichens.

Further Information

  • U.S. Geological Survey
  • The New York Botanical Garden (North American Botany collection curated by Dr. Robert Naczi)