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soot lichen

Scientific Name: Cyphelium brachysporum

Family: Caliciaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Soot Lichen (Cyphelium spp.)

Soot lichens are a fascinating group of lichenized fungi belonging to the family Caliciaceae. These lichens are known for their association with sooty environments and their role as indicators of air pollution.

Considerations for Pets

  • Soot lichens can grow on wood and trees.
  • Some species of Soot Lichen are very small and require magnification to see.

Scientific Classification

  • Kingdom: Fungi
  • Family: Caliciaceae
  • Genus: Cyphelium

Common Names

  • Soot Lichen
  • Notaris' Soot Lichen (specifically for Cyphelium notarisii)
  • Yellow Soot Lichen (specifically for Cyphelium lucidum and Cyphelium tigillare)
  • Cupped Soot Lichen (for Cyphelium inquinans)
  • Sooty-knobbed lichen (for Cyphelium inquinans)

Species Examples

  • Cyphelium notarisii
  • Cyphelium pinicola
  • Cyphelium lucidum
  • Cyphelium tigillare
  • Cyphelium karelicum
  • Cyphelium brunneum
  • Cyphelium inquinans (Synonym: Cyphelium inquinans (Sm.) Trevis.)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Found in Europe and North America.
  • Grows on wood, often in smoky environments.
  • Can be found on trees and buildings, sometimes causing damage due to soot deposition.

Ecological Role

  • Soot lichens are natural indicators of air pollution due to their sensitivity to environmental changes.
  • Their presence or absence, and even their color variations, can reflect the level of air quality in a given area.
  • The presence of soot and the killing off of lichen can have drastic effects on surrounding species.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Fruiting bodies are small and disc-shaped, resembling cup-fungi.
  • Typically solitary and black in color, but some species such as Cyphelium tigillare and Cyphelium lucidum may exhibit yellow areoles.
  • Crustose lichen with yellow areoles and black apothecia immersed in the thallus (Cyphelium tigillare).

Quirky Facts

  • Soot Lichen can be an indicator of past local air pollution.
  • One special feature of Ruhnu is that lichens that should normally grow on trees in fact grow on fences, for instance soot lichen (Cyphelium tigillare).

Synonyms

  • Cyphelium inquinans (Sm.) Trevis.

Further Information

  • Catalogue of Life: 2012 Annual Checklist