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Nephroma resupinatum

(L.) Ach.

Pimpled Kidney Lichen

G5Secure Found in 8 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.127434

Element CodeNLT0019570

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryFungus

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomFungi

PhylumAscomycota

ClassLecanoromycetes

OrderPeltigerales

FamilyNephromataceae

GenusNephroma

Other Common Names

Pimple Paw Lichen (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. As supplied by USDA, NRCS from The PLANTS database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA. Version: November 19, 1997.

Conservation Status

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2017-04-21

Change Date2017-04-21

Edition Date2000-11-20

Edition AuthorsMcDonald, L., rev. L. Oliver (2011)

Rank Reasons

Nephroma resupinatum is known from Europe and North America. In North America it is found in humid, shady environments on tree trunks or rocks. The most notable aspect of this lichen is that it contains not only fungal and green-algal components, but also a cyanobacterial component too, which allows for nitrogen fixation.

Range Extent Comments

It is widespread in boreal, montane and oceanic forests. In western North America, it occurs from southern Alaska south through all of British Columbia, part of Alberta, through Washington, and into western Oregon and California. A small portion of the range dips into northern Idaho. In eastern North America it occurs from Quebec south through Maine and New Hampshire and Vermont, westward to Manitoba, skirting the northern tips of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New York. It is also reported from Virginia, Tennessee, and Arizona (Brodo et al. 2001).

In the Pacific Northwest this species is most common in areas near the ocean (McCune and Geiser 2009). It is also known in Europe (Fedrowitz et al. 2011).

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Thallus foliose, loosely appressed to ascending, to 10cm diameter; lobes mostly < 8mm broad; upper surface grayish or gray brown, pubescent; lower surface light brown, tomentose, with cream-colored papillae surrounded by tomentum (the papillae may be sparse and subtle or conspicuous and abundant); lobules often present on the margins or along cracks; medulla white; photobiont blue green; apothecia common on the underside of the lobe tips; spot tests negative (McCune and Geiser 2009).

Diagnostic Characteristics

The whitish pappillae surrounded by light brownish tomentum on the lower surface are diagnostic for this species. This species may be confused with others in its genus since small individuals may have few or no papillae, but McCune and Geiser (2009) mention that with practice it can be recognized by its mousy gray-brown pubescent upper surface. Brodo et al. (2001) mention that it resembles N.. helveticum, but can be distinguished by the fact that it doesn't have white warts on the lower surface, which N.. helveticum does have.

Habitat

Nephroma resupinatum is found on trees and mossy rocks in humid forests (Brodo et al. 2001).
In the Pacific Northwest, it occus in shady to somewhat open, moist riparian forests, occasionally in upland forests, in the western Cascade mountains (McCune and Geiser 2009).

Ecology

Nephroma resupinatum is a lichen species found with not only mycobiont and photobiont components, but also with a cyanobacterial component. This cyanobacterial component is a strain of Nostoc bacteria which is responsible for nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen fixation is important given that lichens often live in environments where nitrogen is poor, so having a nitrogen fixing component ensures nitrogen compounds in an easily usable form (Brodo et al. 2001).

Reproduction

Some lichen species contain a cyanobacterial component, in addition to a mycobiont and a photobiont, and Nephroma resupinatum is one of them. It is known that a Nostoc strain is the cyanobacterial component found in this lichen. Only fairly mature thalli are found to produce apothecia (Fedrowitz et al. 2011).

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest - HardwoodForest - Conifer

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN5

Province	Rank	Native
Labrador	SU	Yes
Nova Scotia	S2	Yes
Northwest Territories	SU	Yes
British Columbia	S4	Yes
Alberta	S4	Yes
New Brunswick	S3	Yes
Ontario	S4	Yes
Island of Newfoundland	SU	Yes
Quebec	S3	Yes
Saskatchewan	SU	Yes
Yukon Territory	S4	Yes
Manitoba	SU	Yes

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Pennsylvania	SNR	Yes
Montana	SNR	Yes
Minnesota	SNR	Yes
North Carolina	SNR	Yes

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (8)

California (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Cow Creek	Shasta-Trinity National Forest	22,627
South Fork	Shasta-Trinity National Forest	16,786

Montana (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Lebeau #507	Kootenai National Forest	1,259

Oregon (5)

Area	Forest	Acres
Fairview	Umpqua National Forest	7,417
Gordon Meadows	Willamette National Forest	9,463
Hardesty Mountain	Umpqua National Forest	2,597
Menagerie (rooster Rock)	Willamette National Forest	374
Opal Creek	Willamette National Forest	5,417

References (7)

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/]
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. As supplied by USDA, NRCS from The PLANTS database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA. Version: November 19, 1997.
Fedrowitz, K., U. Kaasalainen, and J. Rikkinen. 2011a. Genotype variability of <i>Nostoc </i>symbionts associated with three epiphyte <i>Nephroma</i> species in a boreal forest landscape. Bryologist 114(1): 220-230.
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
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.
McCune, B. and L. Geiser. 2009. Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest: Second Edition. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, Oregon. 448 pp.
Pykala, J. 2004a. Effects of new forestry practices on rare epiphytic macrolichens. Conservation Biology 18(3): 831-838.