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 small dark brown to olive or dark gray
squamulose
A squamulose lichen is a lichen that is composed of small, often overlapping "scales" called squamules. If they are raised from the substrate and appear leafy, the lichen may appear to be a foliose lichen, but the underside does not have a "skin ...
lichen
A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.saxicolous (grow on rock)) or
terricolous A terricolous lichen is a lichen that grows on the soil as a substrate. An example is some members of the genus ''Peltigera
''Peltigera'' is a genus of approximately 100 species of foliose lichens in the family Peltigeraceae. Commonly known as ...
(grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Lichens, Stephen Sharnoff, Yale University Press, 2014, They are
cyanolichens
Cyanolichens are lichens that apart from the basic fungal component ("mycobiont"), contain cyanobacteria, otherwise known as blue-green algae, as the photosynthesizing component ("photobiont"). Overall, about a third of lichen photobionts are cyan ...
photobiont
A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.Anacystis''. They are umbilicate with flat to erect squamule lobes that attach from a central holdfast or cluster of rhizenes.
Lichen spot test
A spot test in lichenology is a spot analysis used to help identify lichens. It is performed by placing a drop of a chemical on different parts of the lichen and noting the colour change (or lack thereof) associated with application of the chemical ...
s are usually negative.
The
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 wer ...
of members of the genus are similar to members of ''
Heppia
''Heppia'' is a genus of olive, brownish, gray, or blackish squamulose, crustose, or peltate like lichens.Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 1, Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bugartz, F., (eds.) 2001/ref> ''Heppia'' was onc ...
'', ''
Psora
''Psora'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Psoraceae. Members of the genus are commonly called fishscale lichens. Lichens in the genus ''Psora'' are known to have a squamulose thallus and anthraquinone
Anthraquinone, also call ...
'', and ''
Placidium
''Placidium'' is a genus of crustose lichen, crustose to squamulose lichen, squamulose to almost foliose lichen, foliose lichens. The genus is in the family Verrucariaceae. Most members grow on soil (are terricolous), but some grow on rock (saxi ...
'', although the first genus has cyanobacteria from the genus '' Scytonema'', and the latter two genera have
green algae
The green algae (singular: green alga) are a group consisting of the Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister which contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/Streptophyta. The land plants (Embryophytes) have emerged deep in the Charophyte alga as ...
as the photobiont.
The genus is in the family
Peltulaceae
The Peltulaceae are a family of ascomycete fungi. Most species are lichen
A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.
.
Species
*''
Peltula auriculata
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...
''
*''
Peltula bolanderi
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...
''
*''
Peltula brasiliensis
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...
''
*''
Peltula capensis
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...
''
*''
Peltula cataractae
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...
''
*''
Peltula clavata
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...
''
*''
Peltula cylindrica
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...
''
*''
Peltula daurica
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...
Peltula radicata
''Peltula'' is a genus of small dark brown to olive or dark gray squamulose lichens that can be saxicolous (grow on rock)) or terricolous (grow on soil). Members of the genus are commonly called rock-olive lichens.Field Guide to California Liche ...