Common Macrolichens of the PNW Home Species List Identification Key Characteristics Color Chart Project Page About
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Umbilicaria polaris

Overview
PNW Range:
  West sideUncommon
  East sideOccasional
  Immediate coastNone
  Alpine or subalpineAbundant
Habitat: Exposed to somewhat shaded rock outcrops and talus, common at high elevations, especially in continental to suboceanic climates.
Substrate:
Comments:
Synonymy: Umbilicaria krascheninnikovii (in N Am)
Umbilicaria polaris - Upper surface
Upper surface
by B. McCune
1/9
Umbilicaria polaris - Apothecia
Apothecia
by B. McCune
2/9
Umbilicaria polaris - Spores
Spores
by B. McCune
3/9
Umbilicaria polaris - Upper surface
Upper surface
by B. McCune
4/9
Umbilicaria polaris - Upper surface
Upper surface
by B. McCune
5/9
Umbilicaria polaris - Lower
Lower
by B. McCune
6/9
Umbilicaria polaris - Habit
Habit
by B. McCune
7/9
Umbilicaria polaris - Lower
Lower
by B. McCune
8/9
Umbilicaria polaris - Lower
Lower
by B. McCune
9/9
Scale: Bar=1mm unless noted
Growth Form
Fruticose: Never
Foliose: Almost always
Crustose: Never
Appressed Foliose: Almost always
Fluffy Foliose or Strappy: Rarely
Dangling Hair: Never
Erect Hair: Never
Appressed Hair: Never
Stalks With Squamules: Never
Stalks: Never
Squamules: Never
Single Holdfast: Almost always
Dangling Nets: Never
Lobe Width (mm): 10 (± 5)

Upper Surface
Upper Surface Color    (Dry) 
   Pale Gray: Almost always
   Dark Gray: Almost always
   Black: Sometimes
Upper Surface Tomentose: Never
Upper Surface Pruinose or Scabrid: Almost always
Upper Surface with Network of Ridges: Commonly
Upper Surface with Pseudocyphellae: Never
   Upper Surface with Holes into Cavity: Never
Cilia on Margins: Never
Lower Surface (Foliose)
Lower Surface Color    (Dry) 
   Pale Gray: Almost always
   Brown: Almost always
   Tan: Almost always
Veined Below: Never
Rhizinate Below: Never
Tomentose Below: Never
Cyphellae: Never
Pseudocyphellae Below: Never
Papillae Below: Never

Interior
Inside (Medulla) Yellow or Orange: Never
Central Cord: Never
Hollow Stalks or Hollow Lobes: Never
Gelatinous: Never

Photobiont
Green Algae Primary Photobiont: Almost always
Cyanobacteria Primary Photobiont: Never
Internal Cephalodia: Never
External Cephalodia: Never

Chemistry
Medulla C+ Orange, Red, or Pink: Almost always
Medulla KC+ Orange, Red, or Pink: Almost always
Medulla UV+ Blue White: Rarely
Sexual Reproduction
Perithecia: Never
Apothecia: Commonly
   Mazaedium: Never
Disk Color    (Dry) 
   Disk Black: Almost always

Asexual Reproduction
Isidia: Never
Soredia: Never
Lobules: Never
Copyright © 2019-2024 by Bruce McCune & Sunia Yang     Source for Habitat and Substrate: Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest    Other Rights: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International