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peltula lichen

Scientific Name: Peltula michoacanensis

Family: Peltulaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names:

Peltula is a genus of small, dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens. They are found growing on rock (saxicolous) or soil (terricolous).

Peltula lichens can be found growing on rocks and soil, which are areas accessible to many pets.

Peltula species are found in various regions, including Australia, the arid regions, the Nama Karoo (Namibia), and North America.
Specific locations mentioned include the Kimberleys in Western Australia, the Channel Islands (California), Arizona Sonoran Desert, and the Netherlands Antilles (Saba).

Peltula lichens are described as small and squamulose.
Some species, like those in the "Rock-olive lichens" group, have dark olive to olive-brown, scaly to minutely shrubby forms, with flattened to erect, rather round lobes.
Peltula euploca is a small, foliose, stratified lichen up to 1-1.5 cm wide, with bluish, grayish, olive, or blackish soredia.

Peltula lichens are part of lichen-dominated biological soil crusts (BSCs) found in various areas.
Some species contain cyanobacteria which fix nitrogen.