PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Salted Shell Lichen (Coccocarpia palmicola)

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Photo by Troy McMullin

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Salted Shell Lichen (Coccocarpia palmicola), a Wisconsin Special Concern lichen, is found on moist or mossy basalt or dolomite.

Coccocarpia cronia

 
 
 

Salted shell lichen is a folios lichen with apothecia that uncommon and are typically away from margins (laminal). Its thallus is flat, blue-grey, with rounded lobes. Rhizines can be dense on underside of the thallus.

It can be distinguished from look-alikes by the rarity of apothecia and presence of isidia. Other blue-grey foliose lichens either have numerous apothecia (C erythroxyli, Pannaria tavaresii) or have soredia instead of isidia (Pannaria conoplea).

Isidia on the thallus surface, sometimes dense, soredia are absent.

Salted shell lichen is found on moist or mossy basalt or dolomite.

Associates include Peltigera species of lichen.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.