SPECIES FACT SHEET Common Name: n/a Scientific Name: Umbilicaria scholanderi (Llano) Krog Recent synonym: Agyrophora scholanderi Division: Ascomycota Class: Euascomycetes Order: Lecanorales Family: Umbilicariaceae Technical Description: Thallus umbilicate foliose, to cm diameter Upper surface dark brown to black, with white crystal-like deposit in center Lower surface black, with rhizines Apothecia common, smooth, without central sterile button or fissures Distinctive Characteristics: 1) lower surface with rhizines 2) apothecia smooth, without central sterile button or fissures Life History: Little is known about the life cycle Ascospores from the apothecia must join the appropriate green alga to form a new lichen thallus Thallus fragments could act as clonal propagules Range, Distribution, and Abundance: It is unclear if this species is found in the Pacific Northwest McCune & Geiser (2009) record it for the Olympic Peninsula, based on a collection from Mt Ellinor, Mason Co., cited in Thomson (1979) and appearing in the US database Although Thomson cites it as also being in WIS (Wisconsin State Herbarium database), it does not appear in that database No other records from the Pacific Northwest were found in private collections, Olympic National Park or the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria databases It is on the Checklist for the Lichen-forming, Lichenicolous and Allied Fungi of the Continental United States and Canada, Version 21 It is on the Washington Natural Heritage Program List of Endangered, Threatened and Sensitive Species Habitat Associations: arctic-alpine, on rock Threats: Mountaineers and rock climbers could break and destroy thalli by stepping or rubbing Warming climate is a risk to all lichens restricted to the alpine zone on mountains (Geiser & Neitlich 2007) Not only lichens spread into unoccupied new habitat slowly, but in the case of the alpine zone, there literally is no farther up they can go When the climate becomes too warm for survival, the species will be extirpated from Oregon and Washington and will remain only in arctic regions that provide the critical habitat Conservation Considerations: Search arctic-alpine habitats for this lichen If any sites are found, immediate protection is recommended Conservation Rankings: Species is globally ranked G1 (NatureServe 2017) and S1 in Washington (Washington Natural Heritage Program 2017).) References Llano, G A 1950 A monograph of the lichen family Umbilicariaceae in the western hemisphere Office of Naval Research, Navexos P-831 (Doesn't have this sp) McCune, B & L Geiser 2009 Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest, Second Edition Oregon State University Press, Corvallis 464 pp NatureServe 2017 NatureServe Explorer: An Encyclopedia of Life http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Alectoria+ochroleuca Accessed May 10, 2017 Thomson, J W 1979 Lichens of the Alaska Arctic Slope Univ of Toronto Press, Toronto 314 pp Washington Natural Heritage Program 2017 List of Lichens http://www.dnr.wa.gov/NHPlists Accessed May 10, 2017 Preparer: Daphne Stone Date Completed: February 2017 Edited by: Rob Huff, July 2017 Map of range and distribution No map provided; no sites known in Oregon or Washington Photos Umbilicaria scholanderi, all photos of S Talbot 494 (from AK) in McCune Herbarium All photos by the author, D Stone Whole thallus Underside Close up of underside showing rhizines Close up of apothecia