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dot lichen

Scientific Name: Arthonia torulosa

Family: Arthoniaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Dot Lichens: A Diverse Group

The term "dot lichen" is a common name applied to lichens belonging to the genera Arthonia or Micarea. Additionally, lichens in the genus Bacidia are sometimes referred to as "dotted lichens." This highlights the descriptive nature of common names, often reflecting the appearance of these fascinating organisms.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Group: Lichen
  • Family: Arthoniaceae (for some dot lichens)
  • Genera include: Arthonia, Micarea, Bacidia
  • Synonyms: Note that the species Scoliciosporum chlorococcum is a synonym for City Dot Lichen (Bacidia chlorococca).

Examples of Dot Lichens

  • Birchbark Dot Lichen (Leptorhaphis species, including Leptorhaphis epidermidis and Leptorhaphis atomaria)
  • Orange Dot Lichen (Protoblastenia rupestris)
  • Pink Dot Lichen (Dibaeis absoluta, also known as Dibaeis absoluta (Tuckerman) Kalb & Gierl)
  • Hidden Dot Lichen (Japewia tornoensis)
  • Globe Dot Lichen (Micarea globulosella)
  • Cherry-laurel dot lichen
  • Dispersed dot lichen (Arthonia dispersa)
  • Tuckerman's dot lichen (Arthonia tuckermaniana)
  • Nitschke's dot lichen (Micarea nitschkeana)

Morphological Characteristics

  • Mycobilimbia pilularis, a type of "Dot Lichen", is a crustose lichen with a grayish-green thallus and yellowy-brown apothecia.
  • Pink Dot Lichen (Dibaeis absoluta) has pink apothecia born on short stalks.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Dot lichens can be found growing on rocks, including in locations like Mt. Rainier National Park, and on tree bark, such as palm trees in Bahia Honda Key, Florida, USA.
  • One source suggests that dot lichens are abundant in the New Orleans area.

Quirky Facts

  • The article references a headline: "I'm lichen it!" in the context of eating oak moss, demonstrating the playful use of "lichen" in everyday language.
  • There are many descriptive names for the different types of lichen based on appearance, such as ground rag, sunken disk, leaf, dot, fire dot, jewel candle flame, yolk, goldspeck, mottled ruffle, shield, honeycomb lichens, etc.

Further Information

  • Encyclopedia of Life
  • Catalogue of Life
  • USDA Plants Database
  • Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
  • ResearchGate (for conservation assessments)
  • WikiSpecies