Fascinating Lichens of Sri Lanka

Fuscopannaria
Brown shingle lichen, Mouse lichens
Peltigerales Pannariaceae
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Fuscopannaria is mainly a temperate genus, mostly found in the Northern
Hemisphere with two principal areas of speciation; Pacific North America and
Atlantic-Mediterranean Europe. Some species of the genus are found in East Asia
and the Himalayas. The genus is also present in the Southern Hemisphere where
the species have spread to Australia, and Southeast Asian islands such as the
Philippines and New Guinea and southern South America.
Fuscopannaria has long been included within Pannaria, which has a foliosesquamulose
to subcrustose thallus usually with grey tones, and with or without
true hypothallus. The genus Parmeliella is a closely related to Fuscopannaria,
but has apothecia with biatorine instead of lecanorine margins (biatorine and
lecanorine are chemical compounds).
Pannariaceae
There are seven species found in the Indian subcontinent, Nepal and Sri Lanka
(Singh & Sinha 2010). Recent studies done by Weerakoon & Aptroot (2014
unpublished) report three new records of this genus for Sri Lanka, including one
species that is a new record for the Indian subcontinent.
Apothecia with or without a lecanorine margin (sometime even on the same
specimen), sessile; Asci: 8-spored, Spores: colourless, ellipsoid, simple with
epispore (outer wall of a spore).
Chemistry hymenium I+ blue green turning to reddish brown, most species
lack lichen substances.
Fuscopannaria coerulescens
SL
Description Foliose-squamulose. The thallus forms like a cushion. The upper
surface is brown with white- felted margins densely beset with blue-grey lobules.
Apothecia are not seen on Sri Lankan material.
Status Very rare species. Known from South India and Nepal. New record for
Sri Lanka.
VR
Fo
Pannariaceae
Habitat Mostly found in humid forest areas above 1600 m, growing together
with bryophytes on tree trunks.
Locations Few places in Horton Plains.
76 Fascinating Lichens of Sri Lanka
Fascinating Lichens of Sri Lanka 77