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Parmotrema latissimum
(Fée) Hale
Thallus foliose, more or less adnate, up to 25 cm wide, the lobes subirregular
and overlapping, 4-5 mm wide, with eciliate to sparsely ciliate margins. Upper
surface yellow grey, lacking isidia and soredia. Lower surface black, with a
brown or mottled marginal zone and sparse, simple rhizines. Medulla white.
Apotecia very rare, lecanorine. Spores colourless, 1-celled. Photobiont:
chlorococcoid. Spot-tests: cortex K+ yellow (atranorin). Medulla K+ yellow
turning red, C-, KC-, P+ orange (salazinic acid). - Very rare, observed only once
at 840 m, close to Unulugala Peak (Coolbone Tea Estate- Yatiyanthota).
Parmotrema mellissii
(C.W.Dodge) Hale
Thallus mainly corticolous, foliose, loosely attached, up to 12 cm wide, the
lobes 2-8 mm wide, with ascending, crenate margins with abundant, 2-4 mm
long cilia. Upper surface pale grey to grey–green, emaculate, with abundant
marginal soralia intermixed with marginal and submarginal isidioid outgrowths
that become sorediate. Medulla white, sometimes with patches of a yellow-
brown to orange-brown colour visible with a hand lens. Lower surface black
with a dark brown marginal zone; rhizines long, slender, in scattered groups.
Apotecia very rare, lecanorine (not observed in Sri Lankan material). Spores
colourless, 1-celled. Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Spot-tests: cortex K+ yellow.
Medulla K-, C-, KC+ reddish (the pigmented parts only), P-, UV+ blue-white
(alectoronic acid,
α
–collatolic acid). - Common on bark of mature trees in
shaded interiors, rarely on moist rocks, in humid forests above 800 m (Central
Highlands, wet zone high elevation forests and along rocky stream margins of
submontane and montane forests). Widespread in tropical and warm temperate
regions.
Parmotrema nilgherrense
(Nyl.) Hale
Thallus foliose, loosely adnate, to 10 cm wide; lobes 4-8 mm wide, with
ascending margins; cilia 2–3 mm long. Upper surface pale grey to greenish
grey, white-maculate, often blackened, lacking isidia and soredia. Lower surface
black with a brown margin; rhizines sparse to dense. Apothecia lecanorine.
Spores colourless, 1-celled. Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Spot-tests: cortex K+
yellow (atranorin). Medulla K-, C-, KC+ red, P-, UV+ blue-white (alectoronic
and
α
–collatolic acids). - Corticolous in rather open forests, also reported from
Africa, Asia (including Papua New Guinea) and Islas Juan Fernández.
Parmotrema perlatum
(Huds.) M. Choisy
Thallus foliose, loosely adnate, 5-7 cm wide, lobes 7-15 mm wide, with sparse
cilia and adscending margins. Upper surface silver grey to grey-green, cracked
in older parts, with marginal soredia (soralia granular). Lower surface black
with brown margin; rhizines moderately dense, simple, short. Apothecia very
rare, lecanorine. Spores colourless, 1-celled. Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Spot-
tests: cortex K+ yellow (atranorin). Medulla K+ bright yellow, C-, KC-, P+
orange (stictic and constictic acids and traces of related compounds). - A
pantemperate to tropical, mainly corticolous species, widespread in the Northern
and Southern Hemispheres.
Parmotrema poolii
(C.W. Dodge) Krog & Swinscow
Thallus foliose, loosely adnate, 10-20 cm wide; lobes irregular and rounded, 5-10 mm wide with sparse to dense, 0.3-4
mm long cilia. Upper surface grey to grey-green and becoming finely cracked, with marginal soredia. Lower surface
