Placidium arboreum

Placidium arboreum
A dense growth of light-brown overlapping scales on the trunk of a tree
In the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina (southeastern United States)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Eurotiomycetes
Order: Verrucariales
Family: Verrucariaceae
Genus: Placidium
Species:
P. arboreum
Binomial name
Placidium arboreum
(Schwein. ex E.Michener) Lendemer (2004)
Synonyms[1][2]
List
  • Endocarpon arboreum Schwein. (1831)
  • Endocarpon arboreum Schwein. ex E.Michener (1853)
  • Dermatocarpon arboreum (Schwein. ex E.Michener) Fink (1910)
  • Endocarpon tuckermanii Ravenel ex Mont. (1856)
  • Endopyrenium tuckermanii (Ravenel ex Mont.) Müll.Arg. (1884)
  • Dermatocarpon tuckermanii (Ravenel ex Mont.) Zahlbr. (1921)
  • Catapyrenium tuckermanii (Ravenel ex Mont.) J.W.Thomson (1987)
  • Placidium tuckermanii (Ravenel ex Mont.) Breuss (1996)

Placidium arboreum, commonly known as the tree stipplescale, is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), squamulose (scaley) lichen in the family Verrucariaceae. Placidium arboreum is primarily found in the southeastern United States, but it also has occurrences in the western and northeastern United States, Mexico, the West Indies, Argentina, and Ontario, Canada. In its habitat, it typically grows at the base of hardwood trees, particularly oak species, and can occasionally be found on other tree genera or even over mosses on limestone. Its preferred substrate is the bark of oak trees, and the lichen usually establishes itself in bark crevices.

Originally described as Endocarpon arboreum in 1831, Placidium arboreum underwent various taxonomic changes before acquiring its current generic placement in 2004. Some authors had referred to it as Endocarpon tuckermanii, but the name with the species epithet tuckermanii is now considered synonymous.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Species Fungorum synonymy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Lendemer 2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).