Upper Surface: K-, never truly pruinose but occ. appears pruinose, occ. with tiny cortical hairs on lobe tips, paraplectenchymatous
Lower Surface: corticate, generally dark but sometimes remaining pale, paraplectenchymatous, simple rhizines (rarely weakly squarrose)
Algae: green (trebouxioid)
Reproduction: apothecia, soredia, or isidia
Spores: physcioid (thick-walled, not Physconia-type)
Worldwide, but mostly temperate to boreal.
Common name: Shadow Lichens (rarely called Wreath Lichens)
Family: Physciaceae
Small, narrow-lobed, dark foliose lichens, typically some shade of gray or brownish.
Found on all types of substrates, generally in sheltered situations.
This genus can be hard to distinguish from others, particularly Physciella.
Physciella: lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous and always pale
Physconia: pruinose, squarrose rhizines
Heterodermia and Physcia: cortex K+ yellow (atranorin)
Parmeliaceae: shiny at least near growing tips, typically much larger, spores totally different
Phaeophyscia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Physciaceae.
Phaeophyscia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Physciaceae.
