Punctelia

Description:

The lichen I found is light green and foliose.The lichen was very smooth and if you rubbed it from the top under the lichen the lichen would fall off. The lichen seemed very brittle as well.

Habitat:

The habitat the lichen I am identifying is found in is a small forest on the base of a tree, that I believe is a Red Oak, and on the bark of many other trees. The lichen grows in large groups bunched together.

Notes:

While searching for lichen in a small part of forest on the Massabesic Middle School campus, on January 18,2012, I found a certain type of lichen growing on trees and rocks. As my mission is to find lichen ,I have decided to identify this lichen. I believe this lichen is called Punctelia rudecta or Punctelia. I think this is the lichen I found because both are light green and foliose.The lichen I found was very smooth and if you rubbed it from the top under the lichen the lichen would fall off. Another similar characteristic is, both grow in Maine on trees. Also,I researched Punctelia rudecta, and it is found on Red Oak trees so I believe the lichen I am trying to identify is on the base of a Red Oak. Even though I saw the lichen I found on Conifers, the one tree I am closely examining lichen had no leaves in the fall or winter and Red Oak lose their leaves. The habitat the lichen I am identifying is found in is a small forest on the base of a tree, that I believe is a Red Oak, and on the bark of many other trees. The lichen grows in large groups bunched together. The climate of the day was 3º celsius in mid winter with about 15 cm of snow on the ground. The wind was 28.97kph with a gust of 41.84kph. Superregnum: Eukaryota 
Supergroup: Unikonta 
Cladus: Opisthokonta 
Regnum: Fungi
 Divisio: Ascomycota
 Subdivisio: Pezizomycotina 
Classis: Lecanoromycetes
 Subclassis: Lecanoromycetidae
 Ordo: Lecanorales 
Familia: Parmeliaceae 
Genus: Punctelia
 Species: Punctelia rudecta