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Fuscopannaria leucosticta: Rimmed Shingle Lichen

Fuscopannaria leucosticta, commonly known as Rimmed Shingle Lichen, is a lichenized fungus belonging to the Pannariaceae family.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Fuscopannaria leucosticta (Tuck.) P.M. Jrg.
• Family: Pannariaceae
• Kingdom: Fungi
• Phylum: Ascomycota
• Class: Lecanoromycetes
• Order: Peltigerales
• Synonyms:
  • Pannaria leucosticta (Tuck.) Tuck. ex Nyl.
  • Parmelia leucosticta Tuck.
  • Pannaria craspedia Krb.

Distribution and Habitat

• Fuscopannaria leucosticta has been found in the tropics and North America.
• It has been rediscovered in Europe.
• It's described as a widespread, mainly cool-temperate genus, with an evolutionary center in Pacific North America.
• Specific locations mentioned include the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas, and it has been observed on Nyssa in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina.
• It grows on substrates such as mossy rock and tree trunks, typically less than 1 meter above the ground.

Morphological Characteristics

• The thallus is squamulose, typically 3-5 cm in diameter.
• Squamules are rounded, measuring 2-3 mm in diameter.
• It usually occurs on a blackish, well-developed hypothallus.

Genetic Information

• Small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences are available (e.g., voucher Harris 33159).

Quirky Facts

• In a recent treatment of the Pannariaceae of Ecuador, the genus Fuscopannaria was surprisingly absent.

Further Information

• Discover Life provides information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Fuscopannaria leucosticta.
• Yale University Press's publication discusses Fuscopannaria leucosticta on pages 322-323 and includes a distribution map for North America.