Letharia columbiana

Letharia columbiana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Parmeliaceae
Genus: Letharia
Species:
L. columbiana
Binomial name
Letharia columbiana
Synonyms
  • Letharia californica
  • Borrera columbiana

Letharia columbiana (common name brown-eye wolf lichen) is a common lichen in subalpine forests, particularly in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, and parts of Canada.[1]  It is in the family Parmeliaceae, and the genus Letharia. Its characteristics include a bright citron color, “brown-eyes”, and rounded, irregular branches.[2] Though previously believed to lump together several lineages such as Letharia gracilis and others, there now exists more specific characteristics to identify the species.[1] This lichen grows on the bark of conifers a couple inches tall. L. Columbiana’s cousin, Letharia vulpina (common name wolf lichen), has similar geographical distribution and morphological features, with the major difference being the “brown-eyes” of L. columbiana.[3]

  1. ^ a b Altermann, Susanne; Leavitt, Steven D.; Goward, Trevor (27 September 2016). "Tidying up the genus Letharia: introducing L. lupina sp. nov. and a new circumscription for L. columbiana". The Lichenologist. 48 (5): 423–439. doi:10.1017/S0024282916000396. ISSN 0024-2829. S2CID 88840346 – via Cambridge University Press.
  2. ^ "CNALH - Letharia columbiana". lichenportal.org. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  3. ^ "Brown-eyed wolf lichen, Letharia columbiana". nathistoc.bio.uci.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-05.