| Ramalina menziesii | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Lecanorales |
| Family: | Ramalinaceae |
| Genus: | Ramalina |
| Species: | R. menziesii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ramalina menziesii Taylor (1847)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Ramalina menziesii, the lace lichen or fishnet, is a pale yellowish-green to grayish-green fruticose lichen. It grows up to a meter long, hanging from bark and twigs in a distinctive net-like or lace-like pattern that is unlike any other lichen in North America.[3] It becomes a deeper green when wet.[3] Apothecia are lecanorine.[3] Lace lichen is an important food source for deer in the Coast Range of California, and a source of nest material for birds.[3] It is highly variable in its growth form, with branches sometimes so slender as to appear like strands, sometimes tiny, and sometimes large with broadly flattened branches.[3]
After years of effort, the California Lichen Society was able to convince the state legislature to recognize the lichen as the state lichen of California, the first lichen so honored.[4][5]
- ^ McDonald, L., 2000
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Species Fungorum synonymywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference
Sharnoff 2014was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "California's State Lichen: Lace lichen (Ramalina menziesii)". The California Lichen Society. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- ^ Gumbiner, Daniel (May 19, 2016), "The Ex-Anarchist Construction Worker Who Became a World-Renowned Scientist", The Atlantic, retrieved September 13, 2021