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Hypotrachyna revoluta

(Flörke) Hale

Powdered Loop Lichen

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.126587
Element CodeNLTES46100
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryFungus
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomFungi
PhylumAscomycota
ClassLecanoromycetes
OrderLecanorales
FamilyParmeliaceae
GenusHypotrachyna
Synonyms
Parmelia revolutaFlörke
Other Common Names
Granulating Loop Lichen (EN) Hypotrachyne révolutée (FR)
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.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-02-25
Change Date2025-02-25
Edition Date2025-02-24
Edition AuthorsDaphne Stone, rev. L. Oliver (2005), rev. Eberly (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Hypotrachyna revoluta is a foliose lichen with a uncertain but expansive global distribution. It is common and abundant in large areas of its range, therefore it is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Hypotrachyna revoluta has a uncertain distribution globally, but is believed to occur in North America, South America, Europe and eastern Asia (Fritz 1998, Adler and Elix 1992, J. Lendemer, pers. comm., 2025). In North America, it occurs in the eastern United States in the southern and central Appalachian Mountains, oceanic areas of the northern New England states and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. A disjunct population was discovered in northern Minnesota which suggests it could occur in the Great Lakes Region, and even boreal forests. It has been attributed to, likely incorrectly, to the Pacific Northwest (BC to CA; McCune and Geiser 1997), but is also reported from southern AZ, TX, and eastern WY and CO (Brodo et al. 2001). Molecular, morphological, and chemical analysis of this genus, clarified the identity of this species. However, despite being distinctive, it has long been confused with Hypotrachyna afrorevoluta, a sometimes co-occurring species (Lendemer and Allen 2020).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated there over 300 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025). This species is noted to be "extremely common and abundant at all elevations in the southern Appalachian Mountains" (Lendemer and Allen 2020).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This lichen grows on canopy branches or branches of trees and shrubs, and it is often found in high-light habitats, like shrub balds (Lendemer and Allen 2020).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferWoodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickS2Yes
OntarioS3Yes
British ColumbiaS2Yes
Nova ScotiaS2Yes
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
ColoradoSNRYes
South CarolinaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
North CarolinaSNRYes
GeorgiaSNRYes
KentuckySHYes
TennesseeSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
Minnesota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
References (11)
  1. Adler, M.T. and J.A. Elix. 1992. New records of Hypotrachyna and Parmeliopsis from northwest and central Argentina. Mycotaxon 43: 283-288.
  2. 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/]
  3. 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.
  4. Flenniken, D.G. The Macrolichens in West Virginia. Carlisle Printing, Ohio.
  5. Fritz, O. and S. Hultengren. 1998. The lichen Hyptrachyna revoluta found on a large number of new localities in southwest Sweden. Svenst Botanisk Tidskrift 92(3): 139-146.
  6. 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.
  7. Glavich, D, Geiser LH, and Mikulun A. 2002 unpubl. Assessment of the old-growth forest association and habitat requirements of federally listed coastal lichens from northern California, Oregon and Washington, USA. USDA-Forest Service.
  8. Lang, G.E., W. Reivers, and L.H. Pike. 1980. Structure and biomass dynamics of epiphytic lichen communities of balsam fir forests in New Hampshire USA. Ecology 61(3): 541-550.
  9. Lendemer, James. Personal Communication. Curator of Botany, New York State Museum, Albany, NY.
  10. Lendemer, J.C. and J.L. Allen. 2020. A revision of Hypotrachyna subgenus Parmelinopsis (Parmeliaceae) in eastern North America. The Bryologist 123(2): 265–332
  11. McCune, B. and L. Geiser. 1997. Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, Oregon. A co-publication with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 386 pp.