Phaeophyscia constipata

Common name	Pincushion Shadow
Code	PHAECON
Field Characters	Small, narrow-lobed, foliose to almost fruticose chlorolichen. Thalli a tangle of tiny, grey to beige lobes, green when wet, loosely paralleling substrate to ascending in part. Lobes typically 0.1-0.4 mm across, often knobby. Upper cortex dull, may be maculate, lacking pruina, hairs, soredia or isidia. Medulla white. Lower cortex white to pale brown, sometimes with green patches on ascending lobbes. Cilia present along lobe margins, rhizines sparse and concolorous below. Apothecia rare in Alberta.
Similar species & genera	Anaptychia ulotrichoides: morphology similar, but more often on rock, and has fine, hyaline hairs on the lobe tips. Not known for Alberta, but present in Montana and should be watched for. Physconia muscigena: co-occurring and superficially similar, but typically pruinose, with squarrose rhizines and typically a dark lower cortex (but may be pale in shaded forms). Physcia adscendens: has hood-shaped soralia, mainly on wood.
Ecology	Terricolous, common over soil, litter or moss in the grasslands region, sparse in other regions.
Chemistry	All spot tests negative (no substances detected).
Molecular support	In progress, as part of work by Esslinger and Leavitt to better delineate Physciaceae in North America.
Links	ABMI Biodiversity Browser Consortium of Lichen Herbaria Ways of Enlichenment Photo Gallery
Gallery