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dot lichen

Scientific Name: Arthonia subdiffusa

Family: Arthoniaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Dot Lichen: A World of Tiny Wonders

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

Considerations for Pets and Children

  • Some lichens grow on rocks and tree bark, potentially making them accessible in outdoor environments.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Family: Arthoniaceae (for some Dot Lichens) or Icmadophilaceae (for Pink Dot Lichen) or Micareaceae (for Erratic Dot Lichen)
  • Genera: Arthonia, Micarea, Bacidia, Leptorhaphis, Dibaeis, Mycobilimbia, Scoliciosporum
  • Examples of Species: Arthonia arthonioides, Arthonia asteriscus, Arthonia exilis, Arthonia glebosa, Arthonia tuckermaniana, Micarea nitschkeana, Dibaeis absoluta, Mycobilimbia pilularis, Scoliciosporum chlorococcum, Leptorhaphis epidermidis, Leptorhaphis atomaria, Micarea globulosella
  • Synonyms: Bacidia chlorococca is a synonym for Scoliciosporum chlorococcum (City Dot Lichen)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Dot lichens can be found in various environments, including on rocks (e.g., in Mt. Rainier National Park), on tree bark (e.g., Palm tree bark in Bahia Honda Key, Florida), and on birch trees.
  • One of the most abundant lichens in the New Orleans area is a Dot Lichen.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Mycobilimbia pilularis, also known as 'Dot Lichen,' is described as a crustose lichen with a grayish-green thallus. It lacks soredia or isidia and has yellowy-brown biatorine, convex apothecia.
  • Pink Dot Lichen (Dibaeis absoluta) has pink apothecia born on short stalks.
  • Some are described as growing in small dots.
  • Some are foliose lichens (e.g., Speckled Shield Lichens) with dots and lobules.

Quirky Facts

  • Someone wrote the headline "I'm lichen it!" on an article in the Times about eating oak moss.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Some lichens grow on tree bark.

Further Information

  • Encyclopedia of Life
  • Catalogue of Life
  • USDA
  • WikiSpecies
  • ResearchGate
  • Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany