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Lepraria neglecta

(Nyl.) Erichsen

Zoned Dust Lichen

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1048036
Element CodeNLLEC9R0N0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryFungus
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomFungi
PhylumAscomycota
ClassLecanoromycetes
OrderLecanorales
FamilyStereocaulaceae
GenusLepraria
Synonyms
Crocynia neglecta(Nyl.) HueLepraria gelidaTønsberg & Zhurb.
Other Common Names
dust lichen (EN)
Concept Reference
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/]
Taxonomic Comments
Esslinger (2018) expands the concept of Lepraria neglecta to include L. alpina, L. borealis, L. cacuminum, and L. caesioalba, while Esslinger and Egan (1995) treated them as distinct.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-09-01
Change Date2025-09-01
Edition Date2025-09-01
Edition AuthorsJ.L. Allen (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Lepraria neglecta is a leprose, green-algal lichen that occurs in diverse habitats throughout much of North America and has been documented from nearly every other continent. Because of its widespread distribution, abundance, and the lack of documented threats, it is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Lepraria neglecta is common throughout temperate, boreal, and arctic regions of North America and occurs from Alaska to Nunavut, Quebec to Georgia, and California north throughout West Coast states, provinces, and territories (Lendemer 2013, GBIF 2025, CLH 2025). This species has been reported from nearly every continent on the planet (GBIF 2025, CLH 2025). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens collected between 1985 and 2025 (Lendemer 2013, GBIF 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records documented between 1985 and 2025, it is estimated that there are >300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, RARECAT 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Lepraria neglecta is potentially threatened by development, logging, gas and oil extraction, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and affinity for typically abundant habitats.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Lepraria neglecta occurs in a diversity of habitats throughout North America from the tundra to montane habitats and wet to mesic forests to arid shrub-steppe and grasslands (Lendemer 2013, GBIF 2025).

Ecology

Lepraria neglecta occurs in a diversity of habitats throughout North America from the tundra to montane habitats and wet to mesic forests to arid shrub-steppe and grasslands where it grows on a wide variety of substrates including soil, organic matter, rock, and bark (Lendemer 2013, GBIF 2025).

Reproduction

This species only reproduces clonally through symbiotic vegetative propagules.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedForest EdgeWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldAlpineTundraUrban/edificarian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecSNRYes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandSNRYes
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
SaskatchewanS1Yes
NunavutS4Yes
OntarioS4Yes
AlbertaS3Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS3Yes
New BrunswickSUYes
LabradorSNRYes
ManitobaS3Yes
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
GeorgiaSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
WyomingSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
North CarolinaSNRYes
IdahoS2Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
MontanaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
3 - Energy production & miningUnknownUnknownUnknown
3.1 - Oil & gas drillingUnknownUnknownUnknown
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
References (8)
  1. Consortium of Lichen Herbaria. 2025. https://lichenportal.org/portal/index.php (accessed 2025).
  2. Esslinger, T.L. 2016. A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the Continental United States and Canada, Version 21. Opuscula Philolichenum 15: 136-390.
  3. 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/]
  4. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  5. Hutten, M., U. Arup, O. Breuss, T. L. Esslinger, A. M. Fryday, K. Knudsen, J. C. Lendemer, C. Printzen, H. T. Root, M. Schultz, J. Sheard, T. Tønsberg, and B. McCune. 2013. Lichens and Lichenicolous Fungi of Yosemite National Park, California. North American Fungi 8(11): 1-47. doi: http://dx.doi:10.2509/naf2013.008.011
  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. Lendemer, J.C. 2013. A monograph of the crustose members of the genus <i>Lepraria</i> Ach. s. str. (Stereocaulaceae, Lichenized Ascomycetes) in North America north of Mexico. Opuscula Philolichenum 12(1): 27-141.
  8. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>