SafePlants

Pink Earth Lichen (Dibaeis baeomyces)

The Pink Earth Lichen is not a plant, but a fascinating example of symbiosis between fungi and algae.

Considerations for Pets

• The text mentions that lichens can grow on rocks, which may be present in some reptile habitats.

Considerations for Children

• The text describes fruiting bodies growing on stalks and the presence of small parts, which may present a choking hazard for small children if ingested or placed in the mouth.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Dibaeis baeomyces
• Common Name: Pink Earth Lichen
• Family: Icmadophilaceae
• The compact earth lichen is in the family Verrucariaceae.

Distribution and Habitat

• Pink Earth Lichen is found on sterile soil, such as in road cuts and ditches.
• Specific locations mentioned include:
  • White Mountains, New Hampshire
  • Charles Co., Maryland
  • Somerset Co., Maryland
  • Central Pennsylvania

Morphological Characteristics

• It is a fruticose lichen.
• The gray thallus produces flesh-colored or pinkish-coral fruiting knobs on tiny stalks (approximately 0.2 inches).

Ecological Role

• Lichens are often the first form of life to colonize a new area of rock or bare ground, making them pioneer species.
• They can accelerate the weathering of rocks, contributing to soil formation.
• Lichens also play a role in rare earth element distribution in the environment.

Quirky Facts

• Some unidentified lichens have been known by the Pima and Papago people as "earth flower".
• Lichens have been successfully tested in Mars surface simulation environments, exhibiting extreme resilience.