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Parmotrema cristiferum
(Taylor) Hale
Common name:
Unwhiskered ruffle lichen.
- Thallus foliose, corticolous, adnate
to loosely attached, 3-10(-15) cm wide, the lobes often overlapping, 6-20 mm
wide, becoming finely cracked on the surface of older central portions, the
margins ascending, usually (but not always!) ciliate. Upper surface mineral to
pale greenish-grey with marginal to submarginal granular soralia. Lower surface
black with a pale brown to tan marginal zone and sparse, short (0.1-0.2 mm
long) rhizines. Apotecia very rare, lecanorine. Spores colourless, 1-celled.
Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Spot-tests: cortex K+ yellow. Medulla K+ yellow
turning red, C-, KC-, P+ orange (salazinic acid and consalazinic acid). -
Common on the mature bark of trees in sun-lit habitats but in moist conditions.
mostly in humid forests above 800 m (Nawalapitiya, Avissawella, some places in Central Highlands, Matale, Knuckles
mountains, Horton Plains and Nuwara Eliya). Widespread throughout tropical and subtropical areas.
Parmotrema dilatatum
(Vain.) Hale
Thallus foliose, loosely attached, 3-10(-15) cm wide, with rounded, eciliate, 8-
13 mm wide lobes. Upper surface yellowish grey; soralia marginal and linear, or
subcapitate on ascending lateral lobes. Medulla white with yellowish pigment in
layer below cortex. Lower surface black with a paler marginal zone; rhizines
sparse. Apothecia rare, lecanorine. Spores colourless, 1-celled. Photobiont:
chlorococcoid. Spot-tests: cortex K+ yellow (atranorin and usnic acid). Medulla
K+ dirty brown, C-, KC-, P+ orange, with protocetraric acid (major). -
Corticolous in disturbed or rather open forests; also reported from Africa, Asia,
South America, India, the Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Australia and New
Zealand.
Parmotrema eunetum
(Stirt.) Hale
Thallus foliose, loosely attached, to 8 cm wide, with rounded, ciliate lobes (cilia
1-3 mm long, 9-13 mm wide. Upper surface mineral grey, maculate and
becoming cracked, lacking isidia and soredia. Medulla white. Lower surface
black, with a tan to brown marginal zone and sparse simple to branched, short
(1-2 mm long), unevenly distributed rhizines. Apothecia lecanorine. Spores
colourless, 1-celled. Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Spot-tests: cortex K+ yellow
(atranorin). Medulla K–, C+ red, KC+ red, P– (gyrophoric acid). - A mainly
corticolous species, also reported from West Africa, the West Indies, Thailand,
and India.
Parmotrema gardneri
(C.W. Dodge) Sérus.
Thallus foliose, loosely attached to adnate, 4-6 cm wide: lobes overlapping, 7-
16 mm wide, with subascending and irregularly incised, eciliate or sparsely
ciliate margins. Upper surface pale to green–grey, with marginal and linear to
subcapitate soralia. Lower surface black with a brown zone and simple, sparse,
slender, short (0.1-0.2 mm long) rhizines. Apothecia very rare, lecanorine.
Spores colourless, 1-celled. Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Spot-tests: cortex K+
yellow (atranorin). Medulla K+ dirty yellow, C-, P+ orange (protocetraric acid).
- Corticolous on twigs, branches and trunks in rather open forests; a pantropical
species, reported from SE Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Papua New
Guinea and the Pacific.
Parmotrema hababianum
(Gyelnik) Hale
Thallus foliose, loosely attached, 8-10 cm wide, lobes rounded, 5-15 mm wide,
with sparsely ciliate (cilia 0.5-2.0 mm long) and subascending margins. Upper
surface more or less maculate, mineral grey to grey-green, with marginal and
submarginal, linear or capitate soralia. Lower surface black with a white or
mottled marginal zone. Apothecia very rare, lecanorine. Spores colourless, 1-
celled. Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Spot-tests: cortex K+ yellow (atranorin).
Medulla K-, C-, KC+ reddish, P-, UV- (protolichesterinic acid). - A corticolous
species of rather open, often disturbed forests, reported from North and South
America, Africa, India, Thailand, China, and Nepal.
