lichens of the lower ozark region of missouri and arkansas

Narrow-lobed, brownish foliose lichens, often lobulate, upper cortex K- and lower surface pale and
rhizinate, apothecia sessile, with well-developed, often lobulate or crenulate thal line margin,
photobiont Trebouxia, asci Lecanora-type, with 8 brown, 1-septate spores; 1 species in the region.
Anaptychia palmulata (Michx.) Vainio [ANAPA] - foliose
Infrequent on shaded, usually mossy rocks and tree bases in mature woodlands, in both mesic and dry
mesic habitats. This species occurs sporadically, with a single rock or tree base having several thalli,
and no other individuals occurring in the vicinity. The thallus is brown when dry but turns a
disti ncti ve bright green when wet. [zeorin, ± atranorin]
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ANISOMERIDIUM (Müll. Arg.) M. Choisy (Monoblastiaceae)
Small crustose lichens, with pale to not apparent thalli, dark superficial perithecia, photobiont
Trentepohlia, asci narrow, wi th a squat apical dome, I-, with 8 hyaline, ovoid, 1-septate spores; 2
species in the region. References: Harris (1973, 1995).
Thallus not apparent; saxicolous .............................................. A. distans
Thallus thin, whitish to pale gray; corticolous .................................... A. polypori
Anisomeridium distans (Willey) R. C. Harris [ANIDI] - crustose
Uncommon on lightly shaded sandstone boulders and fragments in wooded uplands, typically on ridges
in sterile xeric woodlands. The ascospores are tardily 4-celled.
Anisomeridium polypori (Ellis & Everh.) M.E. Barr [ANIPO] - crustose
Occasional on bases and shaded lower boles of hardwoods in woodlands. Local populations of this
species are often sterile, but can be identified by the abundant Trentepohlia in the thin, whitish to pale
tan thallus, bacilliform microconidiospores, and shaded habitat. This species is sometimes called A.
nyssaegenum (Ellis & Everh.) R.C. Harris. A similar species not yet found in the Lower Ozarks, A.
biforme (Borrer) R. C. Harris, has ascospores about twice as long as broad and globose
microconidiospores, whereas the ascospores of A. polypori are about three times as long as broad.
Anisomeridium can be distinguished from Julella fallaciosa, even when sterile, by the lack of a
photobiont in the latter species. I am unable to distinguish sterile thalli of A. polypori from those of
Strigula submuriformis.
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ANZIA Stizenb. (Parmeliaceae)
Foliose lichens with thickened, narrow lobes, a thick layer of black tomentum on the lower surface,
sessile apothecia exceeding the lobe width, with a well-developed thalline margin, photobiont
Trebouxia, asci w ith numerous minute hyaline spores; 1 species in the region.
Anzia colpodes (Ach.) Stizenb. [ANZCO] - foliose
Rare on lower and mid boles of Quercus in mature woodlands. In the Ozark region, this appears to
be one of a cohort of lichens requiring older growth woodlands. Due to prevailing land use over the
last century, these lichens are increasingly scarce. Other lichens with similar habitat restrictions and
consequent rarity include Pannaria subfusca, Pseudocyphellaria aurata, Usnea ceratina, and Usnea
trichodea. While many early records of A. colpodes from the Midwest are fertile, local material is
now almost invariably sterile. Skorepa (1973) noted this same phenomenon with Coccocarpia
palmicola populations in southern Illinois. [atranorin, divaricatic acid]
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ARTHONIA Ach. (Arthoniaceae)
Small crustose lichens, thallus thin or not apparent, with small, immersed to sessile, often irregular
or stellate apothecia, photobiont Trentepohlia, chlorococcoid, or absent, asci pyriform to globose,