Parmelia sulcata Taylor, 1836
One of Alberta’s Most Abundant
| Common name | Hammered Shield |
|---|---|
| Field Characters | Medium-sized, leafy chlorolichens. Thalli varying from loonie-sized to forming colonies larger than dinner plate. Lobes narrow, typically to 0.5 cm across, angular, often attached to the substrate throughout. Upper surface blue-grey to brown-grey, reddish when senescing, typically with a “hammered” or reticulate appearance due to a series of depressions. Pseudocyphellae common, typically elongate, along ridges and margins, developing into soralia. Pruina often present. Lower surface black with abundant, squarrose rhizines that are often simple near the margins. Soredia developing from pseudocyphellae. Apothecia rare. A widespread and variable species. |
| Similar species & genera |
Parmelia hygrophila: laminally isidiate. Mostly limited to the mountains.
Parmelia barrenoae: pseudocyphellae/soralia becoming deeply excavate. Apparently restricted to the Waterton region. Hypogymnia: with experience these two genera are easily discriminated – Hypogymnia has inflated, tubular lobes and no rhizines. Because they both have some super common species that often grow overtop each other they often are confused by beginners. |
| Ecology | Epiphytic on wide variety of host trees and shrubs or on downed wood, rarely saxicolous. Abundant across all forested region, occasional in the grasslands. |
| Chemistry | Upper cortex PD-, K+ yellow, C-, KC-, UV- (atranorin, chloroatranorin). Medulla K+ yellow turning deep red, C-, KC-, P+ orange (salazinic acid, ±consalazinic acid). |
| Molecular support |
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| Links |
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- Parmelia sulcata with abundant rhizines and reticulations, Lac la Biche region, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata lobe with pruina, Chickakoo Natural Area, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata squarrose rhizines, ALTA collection
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- Parmelia sulcata marginal soralia, Chickakoo Natural Area, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata young lobe with pseudcyphellae, Lac la Biche region, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata showing color variation, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata showing reddish color when senescing, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata close-up, Opal Protected Area, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata lobe with pruina, Chickakoo Natural Area, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata lobe with pruina, Chickakoo Natural Area, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata Edmonton, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata, Chickakoo Natural Area, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata pseudcyphellae, Chickakoo Natural Area, AB
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- Parmelia sulcata, Chickakoo Natural Area, AB
