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Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides

Scientific Name: Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides

Family: Caliciaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides: Unveiling the Crab Eye Lichen

Explore the fascinating world of Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides, a unique lichen also known as the Crab Eye Lichen or Mountain Crab Eye Lichen.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

  • Scientific Name: Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides Leveille
  • Common Names: Crab Eye Lichen, Mountain Crab Eye Lichen
  • Kingdom: Fungi
  • Phylum: Ascomycota
  • Class: Ascomycetes, Lecanoromycetes (implied)
  • Order: Caliciales
  • Family: Caliciaceae, Physciaceae (mentioned but likely incorrect based on the surrounding text)
  • Genus: Acroscyphus
  • Taxonomic Status: Accepted

Note: The name Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides Lv. is sometimes considered unresolved by some databases.

Distribution and Habitat

  • This lichen has a wide but unusual distribution, including locations such as Alaska, Washington State (U.S.A.), the Hengduanshan Mountains, Dochula in Bhutan, and South Africa.
  • It is found in alpine regions on exposed rocks, sometimes near conifer wood or base-enriched rock, including in Pinus pumila forests in Japan.

Morphological Characteristics

  • It is described as a fruticose lichen.

Quirky Facts

  • The discovery of Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides in Alaska represents the most northerly sighting worldwide at the time of its reporting.

Chemical Variability

  • The chemical constituents of this lichen have been investigated, particularly in specimens from the Hengduanshan Mountains.

Ecological Role

  • It grows on exposed rocks in alpine regions.

Further Information

  • For more details, you can consult databases such as Tropicos, The Plant List, IPNI (International Plant Names Index), Australian Plant Name Index, NYBG (New York Botanical Garden) Virtual Herbarium, the South African National Biodiversity Institute, and the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL).
  • Discover Life offers a page dedicated to the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of this species.
  • ResearchGate hosts research related to Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides in the Hengduanshan Mountains.