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Home/Species/ Elegant Fringe Lichen

Heterodermia leucomelos

(L.) Poelt

Elegant Fringe Lichen

G5Secure Found in 5 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.126887
Element CodeNLLEC82110
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryFungus
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomFungi
PhylumAscomycota
ClassLecanoromycetes
OrderLecanorales
FamilyPhysciaceae
GenusHeterodermia
Synonyms
Heterodermia leucomela(L.) PoeltLeucodermia leucomelos(L.) Kalb
Other Common Names
Elegant Centipede (EN)
Concept Reference
Esslinger, T.L. and R.S. Egan. 1995. A sixth checklist of the lichen-forming, lichenicolous, and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. The Bryologist 98(4): 467-549.
Taxonomic Comments
Listed incorrectly as Heterodermia leucomela in Esslinger (2018). Note by Bruce Ryan, March 1991 list, states that "rare" in Hale, 1979 may apply to eastern U.S., more common in California, but that Nash "thinks most western material is a distinct taxon "H. neoleucomelaena (Kurok.) ined" a name which is not listed in Egan's lists".
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2017-02-14
Change Date2017-02-14
Edition Date2001-08-30
Edition AuthorsChristy, John
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
Total estimgated number of individuals is over 10,000. Total estimated size of habitat is over 50,000 acres. Wide cosmopolitan distribution. Populations and habitats likely stable, given variety of forest age classe s in various parts of range. Probably many protected locations. Presumably not very threatened worldwide, given variety of forest age classes in various parts of range. Individual plants not fragile, habitat not particularly fragile.
Range Extent Comments
Scandinavia, U.K., Ethiopia, North America, Central and South America. In western North America, from British Columbia to California, Arizona, New Mexico. In Pacific Northwest, along immediate Pacific coastline.
Occurrences Comments
Total number of global occurrences unknown. Known occurrences in northern spotted owl region: 34 [FSEIS 2000 vol. 2: 91; FSEIS 2000 vol. 1: 261].
Threat Impact Comments
Presumably not very threatened worldwide, given variety of forest age classes in various parts of range.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

On bark in Sitka spruce and shore pine forests, shrub communities, windswept headlands, edges of dense thickets. Extending further inland in California and southwards, where it occurs on oaks, other trees, and sometimes associated with old-growth forest.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedShrubland/chaparralCropland/hedgerow
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN2
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS3Yes
Nova ScotiaS1Yes
QuebecSNRYes
OntarioS1Yes
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
MinnesotaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
OregonS3Yes
North CarolinaSNRYes
GeorgiaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
KentuckyS2Yes
WashingtonS1Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (5)
Alabama (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainTalladega National Forest4,986
North Carolina (2)
AreaForestAcres
Boteler PeakNantahala National Forest4,205
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Hunting Camp Little Wolf CreekJefferson National Forest8,953
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
References (7)
  1. Esslinger, T. L. 2018. A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada, Version 22. Opuscula Philolichenum 17:6-268. [http://sweetgum.nybg.org/philolichenum/]
  2. Esslinger, T.L. and R.S. Egan. 1995. A sixth checklist of the lichen-forming, lichenicolous, and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. The Bryologist 98(4): 467-549.
  3. Flenniken, D.G. The Macrolichens in West Virginia. Carlisle Printing, Ohio.
  4. Glavich, D. A. , L. H. Geiser, and A. G. Mikulin. 2005. The distributions of some rare coastal lichens in the Pacific Northwest and their association with the late-seral and federally-protected forests. The Bryologist 108(2): 241-254.
  5. Goward, T., B. McCune, and D. Meidinger. 1994. The Lichens of British Columbia Illustrated Keys, Part 1- Foliose and Squamulose Species. Ministry of Forests Research Program, Victoria, British Columbia. 181 pp.
  6. Knudsen, K., and J. Kocourková. 2012. The Annotated Checklist of Lichens, Lichenicolous and Allied Fungi of Channel Islands National Park. Opuscula Philolichenum 11:145-302.
  7. McCune, B., R. Rosentreter, and A. DeBolt. 1997. Biogeography of rare lichens from the coast of Oregon. In T. N. Kaye, A. Liston, R.M. Love, D. L. Luoma, R.J. Meinke, and M.V. Wilson Eds. Conservation and Management of Native Plants and Fungi. Native Plant Society of Oregon, Corvallis.