Peltigera aphthosa (L.) Willd., 1787 group
| Common name | Freckle Pelt |
|---|---|
| Code | PELTAPH grp. |
| Field Characters | Large leafy tripartite cephalolichens, which can have photomorphs, where they switch to a bipartite cyanolichen morph. Thalli to 15 cm across, composed of individual lobes to rosettiform or overlapping thalli. Colonies sometimes covering > 1 m square. Lobes branching sparingly. Upper surface plane with upturned lobe tips, grey-green to brown-green when dry, emerald green when wet, freckled with cephalodia. The cephalodia are typically flattened and attached throughout. Often with sparse erect tomentum on the lobe tips. Lower cortex lacking, lower surface covered in a network of broad veins and interstices, with abundant rhizines. Apothecia red-brown, saddle-shaped, with fairly continuous cortex on the back. Vegetative propagules lacking. |
| Similar species |
Peltigera leucophlebia: lobe margins frilly or ruffled, cephalodia more three-dimensional (shaped like “Nerds” the candy), veins typically narrower and more distinct.
Peltigera britannica: cephalodia often flaky, but in Alberta is currently impossible to differentiate these two species with confidence. Peltigera britannica is much rarer in Alberta, and is restricted to high elevation montane sites. |
| Ecology | Typically on soil or mosses in mature to old-growth conifer dominated forests. Present in foothills, mountain, boreal, and shield sites, absent from parkland and grassland. |
| Chemistry | Not investigated. |
| Molecular support |
High, represented by 4 well-supported molecular clades. We continue to work to understand how these clades differ morphologically and ecologically. |
| Links | |
| Gallery |
-
- Peltigera aphthosa lower surface
-
- Peltigera aphthosa apothecia, Lac la Biche region, AB
-
- Peltigera aphthosa apothecia, Lesser Slave Lake region, AB
-
- Peltigera aphthosa
-
- Peltigera aphthosa
-
- Peltigera aphthosa colony, Lac la Biche region, AB
-
- Peltigera aphthosa upper cortex wet, ALTA collection
-
- Peltigera aphthosa upper cortex, ALTA collection
-
- Peltigera aphthosa lower surface, ALTA collection
