''Flavoparmelia baltimorensis'', the rock greenshield lichen (from ''Lichens of North America''), is a medium to large

foliose lichen Foliose lichen is one of the morphological classes of lichens, which are complex organisms that arise from the symbiotic relationship between fungi and a photosynthetic partner, typically algae. This partnership allows lichen to live in dive ...

with a yellow green upper

thallus Thallus (plural: thalli), from Latinized Greek (), meaning "a green shoot" or "twig", is the vegetative tissue of some organisms in diverse groups such as algae, fungi, some liverworts, lichens, and the Myxogastria. Many of these organisms ...

surface when dry; its lobes are rounded without pseudocyphellae; and the upper surface is covered with

globose A sphere () is a geometrical object that is a three-dimensional analogue to a two-dimensional circle. A sphere is the set of points that are all at the same distance from a given point in three-dimensional space.. That given point is the ...

pustule A skin condition, also known as cutaneous condition, is any medical condition that affects the integumentary system—the organ system that encloses the body and includes skin, nails, and related muscle and glands. The major function of this s ...

-like growths resembling

isidia An isidium is a vegetative reproductive structure present in some lichens. Isidia are outgrowths of the thallus surface, and are corticated (i.e., containing the outermost layer of the thallus), usually with a columnar structure, and consisting ...

. The lower surface is black with a narrow brown zone at the margins.

Chemistry

Cortex Cortex or cortical may refer to: Biology * Cortex (anatomy), the outermost layer of an organ ** Cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the vertebrate cerebrum, part of which is the ''forebrain'' *** Motor cortex, the regions of the cerebral cortex i ...

, PD−, K−, KC+ yellowish, C− (usnic acid).

Medulla Medulla or Medullary may refer to: Science * Medulla oblongata, a part of the brain stem * Renal medulla, a part of the kidney * Adrenal medulla, a part of the adrenal gland * Medulla of ovary, a stroma in the center of the ovary * Medulla of t ...

, PD+ red-orange, K−, KC+ pink, C− ( protocetraric acid, with or without

gyrophoric acid Gyrophoric acid is a depside that can be found in the lichen ''Cryptothecia rubrocincta'' and in '' Xanthoparmelia pokomyi''. It can also be found in most of the species of the '' Actinogyra'', ''Lasallia'', and ''Umbilicaria'' genera. See also ...

Habitat

On rock in shaded or exposed areas.

Similar species

The very similar '' Flavoparmelia caperata'' usually grows on the bark of trees, but may be found on rock. The granular

soredia Soredia are common reproductive structures of lichens. Lichens reproduce asexually by employing simple fragmentation and production of soredia and isidia. Soredia are powdery propagules composed of fungal hyphae wrapped around cyanobacteria or ...

produced in irregular soralia distinguishes it from ''F. baltimorensis'', which lacks true

. '' Flavopunctelia flaventior'' and '' Flavopunctelia soredica'' have pseudocyphellae in the upper surface of the thallus, and the medulla is C+ red.

Lichen checklists containing ''Flavoparmelia baltimorensis''

*A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. North Dakota State University

Gallery

Image:Flavoparmelia_baltimorensis_(EU).jpg, ''Flavoparmelia baltimorensis''

References

*Recent Literature on Lichens and Mattick's Literature Search

*USDA Plants Database (''Flavoparmelia baltimorensis'')

*Index Fungorum (''Flavoparmelia baltimorensis'')

*Brodo, I. M., S. D. Sharnoff, and S. Sharnoff. 2001. Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven, 795 pages

*Hale, M.E., Jr. 1986. ''Flavoparmelia'', a new genus in the lichen family Parmeliaceae (Ascomycotina). - Mycotaxon 25: 603-605. *Stephen Sharnoff's lichen images

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5458182 Parmeliaceae Lichen species Lichens described in 1931 Lichens of North America Taxa named by Vilmos Kőfaragó-Gyelnik