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Dot Lichen

The term "Dot Lichen" is a common name applied to lichens belonging to the genera Arthonia or Micarea. "Dotted lichens" can also refer to lichens in the genus Bacidia.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Kingdom: Fungi
• Phylum: Ascomycota
• Class: Lecanoromycetes
• Order: (Implied, but not explicitly stated, based on class names: potentially Lecanorales)
• Family: Arthoniaceae (for some Dot Lichens) or Icmadophilaceae (for Pink Dot Lichen) or Ramalinaceae (for poplar dot lichen)

Considerations for Pets

• Some dot lichens grow on tree bark and rocks and may therefore be found in areas accessible to pets.

Distribution and Habitat

• Dot lichens are found in various locations, including Mount Rainier National Park (growing on rocks), Bahia Honda Key, Florida, USA (on Palm tree bark), and the New Orleans area.

Morphological Characteristics

• Mycobilimbia pilularis ('Dot Lichen') is a crustose lichen with a grayish green thallus without soredia or isidia and yellowy brown biatorine, convex apothecia.
• Pink Dot Lichen (Dibaeis absoluta) has pink apothecia born on very short stalks (approximately 1 mm).
• Some lichens grow in small dots.

Common Names & Scientific Names

• Dot Lichen: Common name for lichens in genera Arthonia or Micarea or Bacidia.
• Birchbark Dot Lichen: Common name for Leptorhaphis epidermidis or Leptorhaphis atomaria.
• Orange Dot Lichen: Common name for Protoblastenia rupestris.
• Hidden Dot Lichen: Common name for Japewia tornoensis.
• Pink Dot Lichen: Common name for Dibaeis absoluta.
• City Dot Lichen: Common name for Scoliciosporum chlorococcum; Synonyms: Bacidia chlorococca.
• Frosty-rimmed Dot Lichen: Common name for Bacidia rubella.
• Granite firedot lichen: Common name for Caloplaca arenaria.
• Firedot lichen: Common name for Caloplaca holocarpa.
• Multicolored dot lichen: Common name for Cliostomum griffithii.
• Dispersed dot lichen: Common name for Arthonia dispersa.
• Tuckerman's dot lichen: Common name for Arthonia tuckermaniana.
• Nitschke's dot lichen: Common name for Micarea nitschkeana.

Synonyms

• Bacidia chlorococca is a synonym for City Dot Lichen (Scoliciosporum chlorococcum).

Quirky Facts

• Someone wrote a headline about lichen, "I'm lichen it!".

Further Information

• Encyclopedia of Life
• Catalogue of Life
• USDA
• ResearchGate
• Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
• MO (likely referring to Missouri Botanical Garden)
• ToL (Tree of Life Web Project)
• BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library)
• WikiSpecies