Common Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest

Interactive Key



All characteristics Click on characteristic name for help
	Pacific Northwest Abundance
	Genus
Growth Form
	Fruticose		Yes	No
	Foliose		Yes	No
	Crustose		Yes	No
	Appressed Foliose		Yes	No
	Fluffy Foliose or Strappy		Yes	No
	Dangling Hair		Yes	No
	Erect Hair		Yes	No
	Appressed Hair		Yes	No
	Stalks With Squamules		Yes	No
	Stalks		Yes	No
	Squamules		Yes	No
	Single Holdfast		Yes	No
	Dangling Nets		Yes	No
	Lobe Width		mm
Upper Surface
	UpperSurfaceColor (Dry)
	Pale Gray Green		Yes	No
	Pale Yellow Green *		Yes	No
	Pale Green		Yes	No
	Dark Green		Yes	No
	Fluorescent Yellow Green		Yes	No
	Orange		Yes	No
	Yellow		Yes	No
	Whitish		Yes	No
	Pale Gray		Yes	No
	Dark Gray		Yes	No
	Black		Yes	No
	Olive Black		Yes	No
	Olive Brown		Yes	No
	Olive Green		Yes	No
	Brown		Yes	No
	Tan		Yes	No
	Upper Surface Tomentose		Yes	No
	Upper Surface Pruinose or Scabrid		Yes	No
	Upper Surface with Network of Ridges		Yes	No
	Upper Surface with Pseudocyphellae		Yes	No
	Upper Surface with Holes into Cavity		Yes	No
	Cilia on Margins		Yes	No
Interior
	Inside (Medulla) Yellow or Orange		Yes	No; white or dark
	Central Cord		Yes	No
	Hollow Stalks or Hollow Lobes		Hollow	Solid
	Gelatinous		Gelatinous	Stratified
Lower Surface (Foliose)
	LowerSurfaceColor (Dry)
	Pale Gray Green		Yes	No
	Pale Yellow Green *		Yes	No
	Pale Green		Yes	No
	Dark Green		Yes	No
	Orange		Yes	No
	Yellow		Yes	No
	Whitish		Yes	No
	Pale Gray		Yes	No
	Dark Gray		Yes	No
	Black		Yes	No
	Olive Black		Yes	No
	Olive Brown		Yes	No
	Olive Green		Yes	No
	Brown		Yes	No
	Tan		Yes	No
	Veined Below		Yes	No
	Rhizinate Below		Yes	No
	Rhizines Squarrose		Yes	Simple or dichotomous
	Tomentose Below		Yes	No
	Cyphellae		Yes	No
	Pseudocyphellae Below		Yes	No
	Papillae Below		Yes	No
Photobiont
	Green Algae Primary Photobiont		Yes	No
	Cyanobacteria Primary Photobiont		Yes	No
	Internal Cephalodia		Yes	No
	External Cephalodia		Yes	No
Sexual Reproduction
	Perithecia		Yes	No
	Apothecia		Yes	No
	Mazaedium		Yes	No
	DiskColor (Dry)
	Disk Pale Greenish		Yes	No
	Disk Orange		Yes	No
	Disk Yellow		Yes	No
	Disk Red		Yes	No
	Disk Pink		Yes	No
	Disk Black		Yes	No
	Disk Brown or Tan		Yes	No
Asexual Reproduction
	Isidia		Yes	No
	Soredia		Yes	No
	Lobules		Yes	No
Chemistry
	Usnic Acid		Yes	No
	Cortex K+ Yellow		Yes	No
	Cortex KC+ Yellow		Yes	No
	Cortex K+ Purple or Red		Yes	No
	Medulla P+ Orange or Red		Yes	No
	Medulla P+ Yellow		Yes	No
	Medulla K+ Orange or Red		Yes	No
	Medulla K+ Yellow		Yes	No
	Medulla KC+ Yellow		Yes	No
	Medulla C+ Orange, Red, or Pink		Yes	No
	Medulla KC+ Orange, Red, or Pink		Yes	No
	Medulla UV+ Blue White		Yes	No

Legend

Purpleness

Degree of mismatch to likely species.

Greenness

Degree match to likely species.

x%

In 'Most Likely Species', for boolean characteristics (choice of two options, usually Yes/No), x% means that for that species, x% of the time the species has the selected characteristic value. Example: If you select 'Cilia on Margins' = 'Yes', for Parmotrema perlatum, '90%' means 90% of the time, this species has this characteristic.

Mean (± Standard Deviation)

In 'Most Likely Species', for quantitative characteristics (enter number in field), for each species, the mean and standard deviation are displayed.

Dark Red

Non-lichen

**

or

*

Most(**) and more(*) discerning characteristics among likely species.

Score:

Relative probability indicator that your specimen matches this species (out of 247 common macrolichens)

Fit:

Absolute probability indicator that your selected characteristics matches this species' characteristics

Zero fit or zero score - if all likely species have red bars, time to re-evaluate.