Whiskered Shadow Lichen

Description:

Phaeophyscia hispidula is a gray foliose lichen - though some forms are pale green. It has lobes up to 6 mm broad and can form irregular thallus patches of more than 6 cm. The species is usually coarsely sorediate with pale greenish soralia. The lobe margins are densely lined by a black fringe of “whiskers”, i.e. a dense matt of unbranched black rhizines extending all across the lower surface right to the edge of the lobes.

Habitat:

Spotted on a rock exposed to the sun on top of Chinquapin Mountain in the Ouachita National Forest. This lichen can grow on rock as well as bark.

Notes:

Because of its relatively large size and the conspicuous “whiskers” this species is usually easily recognized and rarely confused with other lichens. Hyperphyscia adglutinata is much smaller, has almost no rhizines and is very closely attached to the substrate. Phaeophyscia cernohorskyi and P. hirsuta are both much smaller and characterized by hyaline hairs on the thallus surface.