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Melanohalea exasperatula (Nyl.) O. Blanco, A. Crespo, Divakar, Essl., D. Hawksw. & Lumbsch, 2004

Common name Lustrous Camouflage Lichen
Code MELAEXS
Field Characters Small foliose chlorolichens. Thalli very appressed to the substrate, but lifting slightly at the lobe edges. Colonies can be as large as a human hand. Cortex olive brown and shiny, smooth to slightly wrinkled.  Pseudocyphellae absent. Isidia inflated (often hollow) and pinched at base, starting spherical and becoming elongated and irregular and slightly branching (appearing mitten-like) as they mature, often flattening. Apothecia uncommon. Soredia not observed.
Similar species & genera
 Melanohalea elegantula: Another common species with a similar appearance, but with isidia arising as tiny pyramids that elongate into solid cactus-like isidia that are often pruinose at the tips. M. exasperatula has pinched, hollow isidia. See photos comparing the two below.
Ecology Common over trees and downed wood of deciduous and coniferous trees throughout the forested regions of Alberta.
Chemistry Medulla PD-, UV-, K-, KC-, C-.
Molecular support
Links
Gallery
Isidia of a) Melanohalea exasperatula and b) Melanohalea elegantula. Illustrations by Trevor Goward.

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Lichens of Alberta Copyright © by Diane L. Haughland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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