PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

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

Powdered Camouflage Lichen (Melanelia sorediata)

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Photo by Curtis Bjork

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Powdered Camouflage Lichen (Melanelia sorediata), a Wisconsin Special Concern lichen, is found on mainly on rocks but occasionally bark and often near water.

Montanelia sorediata

 
 
 

Powdered camouflage lichen is a folios lichen with apothecia that are rare. Its thallus is olive-brown to grey-black or black and appressed to substrate. Branches are up to 1.5mm wide and overlap adjacent branches, the lower surface is dark with numerous rhizines

Powdered camouflage lichen is one of only two camouflage lichens in Wisconsin that is mainly found on rocks. It is most similar to the also rare M disjuncta, which has soralia throughout the surface of the older parts of the upper surface, versus soralia that are limited to the lobe margins.

Soralia are fine (vs coarse) and on lobe margins.

Powdered camouflage lichen is found mainly on rocks but occasionally bark and often near water.

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.