Tuckermannopsis pinastri (Scop.) Hale
Vulpicida pinastri (Scop.) J.-E. Mattsson & M.J. Lai
Powdered sunshine lichen
Powered sunshine lichen is named for its yellow powder-like surface.
Identification: This is a foliose (leaflike) lichen, and while some lichens tend to lay flat against their substrates, this one is more wrinkled and loosely attached. The whole surface may be yellow, or just the edges. Fruiting bodies (apothecia) are uncommon. It is the only sorediate species in the genus and is distinguished by the bright-yellow marginal soralia. Translating as best I can, this means “the only species with lots of tiny powdery-looking reproductive structures that, rather than being spread out across the thallus of the lichen, are localized into patches (soralia) which are bright yellow.”
Habitats: On confiers and birches.
Online References:
References:
Cetraria pinastri (Scop.) A. Gray
Tuckermannopsis pinastri (Scop.) Hale
Tuckermannopsis pinastri (Scop.) Hale
7/13/2015 · Mt. Mansfield, Stowe/Cambridge, Vermont · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm) 
11/10/2008 · South slopes of Mount Prisojnik, East Julan Alps, Slovenia · By Amadej Trnkoczy 
8/25/2017 · Pack Monadnock, near summit, Peterborough, New Hampshire · ≈ 3 × 3″ (8.3 × 7.6 cm) 
| Kingdom | Fungi | Mushrooms, lichens, gel fungi, yeasts, and molds; also called eukaryotes |
| Division | Ascomycota | Sac fungi |
| Subdivision | Pezizomycotina | Sac fungi with filaments |
| Class | Lecanoromycetes | “Lichenized” fungi |
| Order | Lecanorales | Mostly lichen-forming fungi |
| Suborder | Lecanorineae | Lichens |
| Family | Parmeliaceae | Includes many common lichens such as Xanthoparamelia, Usnea, Parmotrema, and Hypotrachyna |
| Genus | Vulpicida | From the Latin words vulpes (“fox”) and -cida (“who kills”); from folklore that the lichen kills foxes |
| Species | pinastri | From Latin pinastri, ”wild pine“ or ”cluster pine“ |
Vulpicida pinastri description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.