''Nodobryoria'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of medium to large, reddish-brown

lichen A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.conifer Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...

trees. The genus contains three species, distributed in North America and

Greenland Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...

, which were previously included in the genus ''

Bryoria ''Bryoria'' is a genus of lichenized fungi in the family Parmeliaceae. Many members of this genus are known as horsehair lichens. The genus has a widespread distribution, especially in boreal and cool temperate areas. Taxonomy ''Bryoria'' was c ...

''. ''Nodobryoria'' is similar in appearance to ''Bryoria'', but is differentiated because it does not contain the polysaccharide

lichenin Lichenin, also known as lichenan or moss starch, is a complex glucan occurring in certain species of lichens. It can be extracted from ''Cetraria islandica'' (Iceland moss). It has been studied since about 1957. Structure Chemically, lichenin i ...

(which is present in high quantities in ''Bryoria''), and it has a unique

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 ...

composed of interlocking cells that look like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle when viewed under a light microscope.

References

External links

Picture of ''Nodobryoria abbreviata''
by Stephen Sharnoff

by Stephen Sharnoff {{Taxonbar, from=Q7046712 Parmeliaceae Lichen genera Lecanorales genera Taxa named by Irwin Brodo Taxa described in 1995