Kaernefeltia
Kaernefeltia A. Thell & Goward, 1996
| Common name | Thornbush Lichens |
|
|---|---|---|
| Field Characters | Fruticose to foliose shrubby chlorolichens. Thallus small, olive black to brown. Typical morph is dichotomously branched, with angular to flattened, erect, stiff, thorny branches. A less common morph is broadly foliose, with wrinkled, laminally-pycnidiate lobes. Both are found in Alberta. Apothecia common, laminal to subterminal on branches. Vegetative propagules absent, but often with many short, spiny branches. Some sources may treat this under the genus Cetraria. | |
| Similar genera |
Tuckermannopsis: the flattened, foliose morph of some species may be confused with Tuckermannopsis, particularly T. orbata, but that species is pale brown and has marginal, prominant pycnidia. | |
| Ecology | Restricted range epiphyte on conifers. When found often abundant. Largely restricted to the lower mountains and foothills regions of Alberta, with disjunct boreal populations. Commonly co-occurs with Tuckermannopsis spp. and Vulpicida canadensis in open, dry forests | |
| Chemistry | Cortex and medulla K-, KC-, PD-, UV- (fatty acids including lichesterinic and protolichesterinic acids and additional unknowns). | |
| Molecular support |
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| Links |
Species recorded in Alberta: 1
- K. merrillii (Du Rietz) A. Thell & Goward, 1996
No dedicated key: click here for a doc Key to the Fruticose Lichen Genera v.2025-2
RENR Students: Know Kaernefeltia merrillii – be able to key this species out or recognize it (it is also covered in Brodo et al. 2001 and Goward 1999).
