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earth lichen
Scientific Name: Catapyrenium heppioides
Family: Verrucariaceae
Category: Lichen
Growth: Lichenous
Duration:
Other Names:
Pink Earth Lichen (Dibaeis baeomyces)
The pink earth lichen, Dibaeis baeomyces, is a fascinating example of symbiosis in nature. Commonly known as pink earth lichen, this unique organism showcases the resilience and adaptability of life, thriving even in challenging environments.
Considerations for Pets
- This lichen sometimes grows on roadsides, ditches, or in woods, habitats that pets may explore.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Dibaeis baeomyces
- Common Name: Pink earth lichen
- Family: Icmadophilaceae
- Taxonomic Rank: Species
- Synonyms: Dermatocarpon cinereum, Catapyrenium cinereum
Distribution and Habitat
- Pink earth lichen is found in various locations, including New Hampshire, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, France as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- It commonly colonizes sterile soil, such as road cuts and ditches.
- It grows in dry woods.
Morphological Characteristics
- The lichen features a gray thallus (the main body of the lichen).
- It produces distinctive pinkish-coral or flesh-colored fruiting knobs on tiny stalks, typically around 0.2 inches in length.
- It is a fruticose lichen.
Ecological Role
- Lichens, including pink earth lichen, are often among the first organisms to colonize bare rock surfaces and new areas.
- They play a role in weathering rocks and changing early soils, accelerating the breakdown of rock surfaces.
- They can colonize large patches of bare ground.
Quirky Facts
- Some Pima and Papago people have names for lichens that translate to "earth flower".
- Lichens have been described with colorful terms such as "fog fingers," "angel hair," and "tar-jelly".
Additional Information
- The lichen is found on Wikimedia Commons.