Peltigera leucophlebia

Peltigera leucophlebia, left bottom with distinct veins, right moist green top ( Location: Hohe Tauern Mallnitz )

Peltigera leucophlebia is a Laubflechte of the family shield lichen ( Peltigeraceae ). The specific epithet is composed of the two Greek words λευκός ( WBC = light ) and φλέψ ( Phleps = vein ) and refers to the conspicuous veins on the underside.

Description

The lobes of the bearing between two and four inches tall and are wet with pure green color, dry light gray. The algal layer is made of green algae of the genus Coccomyxa. Striking in the lobes dark, 0.2-1.0 mm wide nests, called cephalodia, cyanobacteria of the genus Nostoc are included. The bright stock base has a clear network of dark veins and black rhizines. Apothecia are quite rare. They are reddish brown, saddle-shaped and occur on short extensions of the flap edges.

Location and occurrence

The lichen grows mainly in the montane level to above the tree line in shaded ( moist ) sites between mosses or on rocks ( both carbonate and silicate rock). She is a lichen of Arctic and temperate zones and occurs both in Europe and in North America and Asia.

System

Peltigera leucophlebia was originally viewed as a variety of related lichen Peltigera aphthous which differs by a uniform felt-like, dark bottom. Only in 1926 established the Hungarian botanist Gyelnik Peltigera leucophlebia own way as a result of their apple-green color when wet both lichens were called " Apfelflechte " (and later provided by Gyelnik in a separate genus Chloropeltigera ).

Use

The lobes of both lichens were formerly used under the name Herba musci cumatilis as a purgative and vermifuge agent.