#punctelia rudecta

[cedar-glade]

Unfortunately I can't get a good ID on it but you have a two choices based on the color and morph for that region. Since It appears to be on bark I would consider Flavoparmelia capereta as my preference the reasoning is the nonconsistant isidiate center and how smooth it is overall with know vein like folding, meaning I wouldnt consider moonlight hammered shield (Parmelia sulcata), or rough speckled sheild( Punctelia rudecta) but powdery axil bristle would be the only secondary option I could think of (Myelochroa aurulenta)

I wish I was better with moss to help you but I definitely need to memorize key features before I even try to get it down to genus. It almost looks like an anomadon but prob not knowing my luck lol

i was clearing out the memory card on my good camera and i found this very affectionate photo i took a little over a year ago, apparently somewhere in wisconsin. my pocket knife is about 4 or so inches across when unfolded…idk the actual species but it looks to me like a species of parmelia, the shield lichens. i have no memory of taking this but the artistic framing suggests ‘look at this big chungus’ and i have to agree 

[cedar-glade]

Some super common macro lichens in the midwest you can readily learn. Generalized to mainly wood surface and not super generalized on rock.

Common Greenshield Lichen, Flavoparmelia caperata

vs

Punctelia rudecta, and recent split Punctelia missouriensis (see those white speckled lobes. during full developement and we see a different colored isidiate core. this is why it’s commonly known as the rough speckled shield ) (this concept can be seen in the lower specimen.) (The upper though developes consistently less isidiate core and instead has overlapping squamulobes which gives it a mealy look.) (Called Mealy Speckled Shield lichen.)

What isn’t as common is large thallus mats with proper apothecia developement. Its like a light blue core if it’s the case unlike moon glow lichen which has a brown apothecia core and smooth axle bristle which looks green when hydrated and has an orange like tint when dry. imishaga doesn’t seem to produce apothecia or an isidiate core while rough speckled can produce both though the apothecia are supposed to be small like seen above on this Quercus muehlenbergii

the green shield will be smooth, baltimore green shield is a rock species where as smooth(rare) and common are both on wood, not an isidiate display, and fully same colored thallus wet or dry.

the bottom picture is the two colored thallus of rough speckled sheild without an isidiate core that i put water on to see if i could get hydrated colors.

[dendroica]

Rough Speckled Shield Lichen, Punctelia rudecta (by me)

[indefenseofplants]

Rough speckled shield lichen (Punctelia rudecta) really enjoyed all that rain. #lichen #symbiosis #illinois #forest #foresthealth #ecology #trees #nature #outdoors #springrain #springiscoming #punctelia #fungi #algae #evolution