Sinewed Ramalina, Ramalina americana
Ramalinaceae or Ramalina Family
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Very small to rather large lichen, to several inches across. Lichen body ("thallus") forming a 3-dimensional burst of narrow, flattened, branching lobes, greenish gray with tiny pale white dots ("pseudocyphellae" in lichen talk). Older, larger specimens have button shaped structures ("apothecia") on the tips and edges of the lobes. These apothecia produce spores for reproduction. Grows on bark or bare wood, mostly in tree canopies..
A common lichen of eastern North America. Rare in Wildwood, because it is rather sensitive to air pollution. Mostly to be seen as small, immature specimens on fence rails (right). More mature specimens may exist in the tree canopies and may be sought when trees fall. The remarkable specimen at left was growing on a redbud planted near Main Street. It probably grew so spectacular at the nursery; it died after about a year, likely because of Main Street traffic. Look for flattend branches with pale white dots. Other species of Ramalina can be somewhat similar, but have not yet been reported in the Park. |
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