Cracked-shield lichen

Description:

Parmelia sulcata is a foliose lichen with a generally circular thallus that is broadly lobed and overlapping, often giving it a multi layered appearance. It harbours a unicellular Trebouxia green algal symbiont.

Habitat:

Spotted covering a branch in a deciduous tree. This lichen is capable of growing on just about any substrate that it can get a foothold on and is tolerant of pollution, making it a common lichen where it is found - a very adaptable species.

Notes:

This species can be used to make dyes, producing a reddish-brown color. Used in Scotland to make a golden-brown or reddish-brown dye for staining wool for making tweed. Indigenous people in North America used the lichen medicinally. The Métis peoples rubbed it on the gums of teething babies, while the Saanich peoples used it for a variety of ailments, with the medicinal qualities depending on what type of tree it was harvested from. Hummingbirds are also known to use this lichen to camouflage their nest.