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American strigula lichen
Scientific Name: Strigula americana
Family: Strigulaceae
Category: Lichen
Growth: Lichenous
Duration:
Other Names:
American Strigula Lichen (Strigula americana)
Strigula americana, commonly known as American strigula lichen, is a fascinating lichen species with a unique ecological role.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Strigula americana R.C. Harris
- Common Name: American strigula lichen
- Family: Strigulaceae
- Group: Lichen
- Division: Ascomycota
- Synonym Symbol: STAM9
- Synonyms:
- Strigula affinis auct. N. Amer. (misapplied to North American specimens of S. jamesii)
- Non Strigula tenuis Mll. Arg., 1885 (Replaced competing synonym)
Distribution and Habitat
- Found in the USA and Canada, North America (north of Mexico), including states such as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and Georgia.
- Also found in Saint Pierre and Michelon (SPM).
- Also found in South America, and Central America (Costa Rica, Panama)
- Other regions mentioned include New Zealand, Europe, Macaronesia, Valdivia (southern South American temperate rain forests), Indian Subcontinent, and Asia and Africa.
Ecological Role
- Strigula is a plant parasitic lichen.
- Some species establish on leaves where there is damage, such as from insect holes.
- Lichens of the genus Strigula are known to associate with green or blue-green algal symbionts.
Morphological Characteristics
- The thallus (body) of some Strigula species may be smooth.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Strigula lichens are formed when fungi associate with algae.
- The lichen, Strigula elegans, can surround leaf damage caused by insects.
Further Information
- American Bryological and Lichenological Society, Inc.
- Clemson University Cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture, South Carolina Counties,
- Garden Guides