''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose
ascospores
An ascus (; ) is the sexual spore-bearing cell produced in ascomycete fungi. Each ascus usually contains eight ascospores (or octad), produced by meiosis followed, in most species, by a mitotic cell division. However, asci in some genera or ...
that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a dressmaker's pin (called a
mazaedium
The following is a glossary of terms used in the description of lichens, composite organisms that arise from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungus species in a mutualistic relationship.
Until the end of the 18th ...
), hence the common name
pin lichen
Lichens are wikt:composite, composite organisms made up of multiple species: a fungus, fungal partner, one or more photosynthetic partners, and sometimes a yeast, basidiomycete yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a c ...
.Field Guide to California Lichens, Stephen Sharnoff, Yale University Press, 2014, They are also commonly called stubble lichens.
They have been used as
indicator species
A bioindicator is any species (an indicator species) or group of species whose function, population, or status can reveal the qualitative status of the environment. The most common indicator species are animals. For example, copepods and other sma ...
for
old growth redwood forest
''Sequoia sempervirens'' ()''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607 is the sole living species of the genus '' Sequoia'' in the cypress family Cupressaceae (formerly treated in Taxodiaceae). Common names include coast redwood, coastal ...
s.
Evolutionary history
The discovery of a ''Calicium''-like fossil in Baltic amber dating back 55–35
myr
The abbreviation Myr, "million years", is a unit of a quantity of (i.e. ) years, or 31.556926 teraseconds.
Usage
Myr (million years) is in common use in fields such as Earth science and cosmology. Myr is also used with Mya (million years ago). ...
indicates that the main distinguishing characteristics of this genus have persisted for at least tens of millions of years. A fossil-calibrated phylogeny that includes this fossil suggests that the family Caliciaceae diversified from its most recent common ancestor 103–156 Myr ago in the early Cretaceous.
Calicium abietinum
''Calicium abietinum'', commonly known as fir pin or black stubble, is a crustose lichen that is found growing on trees throughout much of the world.
The species is found in North America from Mexico to Canada, England, Central Europe to Central ...
''
* ''
Calicium adspersum
''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose ascospores that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a ...
''
* ''
Calicium atronitescens
''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose ascospores that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a ...
''
* ''
Calicium carolinianum
''Calicium carolinianum'' is a species of lichen in the family Caliciaceae. It is endemic to the Gulf Coastal Plain region of the United States. The lichen contains norstictic acid, and has ascospores that measure 13–17 by 8–9 μm.
T ...
''
* ''
Calicium chlorosporum
''Calicium chlorosporum'' is a crustose lichen that is found growing on trees throughout much of the world.
The lichen has a pale brownish yellow to beige, verrucose, areolate or subimmersed thallus
Thallus (plural: thalli), from Latinized G ...
''
* ''
Calicium contortum
''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose ascospores that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a ...
''
* ''
Calicium corynellum
''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose ascospores that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a ...
''
* ''
Calicium diploellum
''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose ascospores that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a ...
''
* ''
Calicium glaucellum
''Calicium glaucellum'' is a crustose lichen that is found growing on trees throughout much of the world.
The species is similar to '' Calicium abietinum,'' it has an immersed or rarely superficial dark grayish green thallus and ascomata that ar ...
''
* ''
Calicium glebosum
''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose ascospores that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a ...
''
* ''
Calicium hyperelloides
''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose ascospores that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a ...
''
* ''
Calicium indicum
''Calicium'' is a genus of leprose lichens. It is in the family Caliciaceae.
The sexual reproduction structures are a mass of loose ascospores that are enclosed by a cup shaped exciple sitting on top of a tiny stalk, having the appearance of a ...
Calicium quercinum
''Calicium quercinum'' is a species of lichen
A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.Calicium robustellum''
* ''
Calicium salicinum
''Calicium salicinum'' is a crustose lichen that is found growing on trees in the South West region of Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of ...