Ramalina menziesii

Ramalina menziesii
Conservation status
	; Apparently Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Lecanoromycetes
Order:	Lecanorales
Family:	Ramalinaceae
Genus:	Ramalina
Species:	R. menziesii
Binomial name
	Ramalina menziesii; Taylor (1847)
Synonyms
	Endocarpon reticulatum Ach. ex Steud. (1824); Lichen reticulatus Nöhden (1801); Lichen reticulatus Zoega (1775); Ramalina reticulata Kremp. (1869); Roccella reticulataKremp. (1876);

Last updated October 11, 2024

Ramalina menziesii, the lace lichen or fishnet, is a pale yellowish-green to grayish-green fruticose lichen. It grows up to a meter long, hanging from bark and twigs in a distinctive net-like or lace-like pattern that is unlike any other lichen in North America.^[3] It becomes a deeper green when wet.^[3] Apothecia are lecanorine.^[3] Lace lichen is an important food source for deer in the Coast Range of California, and a source of nest material for birds.^[3] It is highly variable in its growth form, with branches sometimes so slender as to appear like strands, sometimes tiny, and sometimes large with broadly flattened branches.^[3]

Taxonomy

In 1775, the species was given its first Linnean binomial name of Lichen retiformis by Archibald Menzies. It was also referred to as Lichen reticulatis by Nohden in 1801.^[6] Thomas Taylor then incorporated the taxon into the genus Ramalina and described it in the London Journal of Botany in 1847 as Ramalina menziesii.^[6] Vernacular names used for the species include "lace lichen" and "fishnet".^[7]

Description

Ramalina menziesii is a fruticose epiphytic lichen found on coastal regions of North America that produce a large and conspicuous thallus.^[8] Expansion of its perforated tissue from the thallus apex produces its net-like morphology.^[9] This morphology ranges from thick nets in sunny regions to thin filaments in foggy regions.^[10] Studies have suggested that this morphological variation is a result of both genetic differences between populations, as well as phenotypic plasticity within the species.^[11]^[10]

Lichen spot tests on the cortex are K−, C−, P− and KC+ (dark yellow).^[3]

Distribution and habitat

Ramalina menziesii is found from the Baja California of Mexico to the temperate rainforests of Alaska, with six distinct ecoregions.^[12] Throughout their distribution, the occupied habitat differs in relation to the distance from the coast. In Baja California, lace lichen is most common on shrubs in the coastal fog deserts and on cacti, shrubs and trees in the inland chaparral habitats.^[13] In coastal California, lace lichen is found in habitats dominated by coastal live oak, tan oak, California laurel, red alder, and willow. In the Californian inland, the habitats are dominated by oak savannas of valley oak, blue oak, and coastal live oak. ^[13] The northern and southern Californian habitats are geographically separated from the coastal range. As you move towards the Pacific Northwest, lace lichen is found in temperate mixed coniferous forests of Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and some broad-leafed species.^[14] Moving inland in their northern distribution, lace lichen quickly disappear. The range of the lichen continues north along the Pacific Coast of British Columbia, extending to Alaska.^[7]

In the deciduous blue oak (Quercus douglasii) woodlands of central coastal California, Ramalina menziesii has an important role in the annual turnover of biomass. The standing biomass of this and other epiphytic lichens was determined to be 515 grams per tree, equivalent to 706 kilograms per hectare; of this, 94% is R. menziesii. Despite this area being much drier than those in other similar studies, R. menziesii was shown to contribute as much to biomass and nutrient turnover as other epiphytic lichens from wetter locales.^[10]

A study on Ramalina menziesii across its range from Baja California del Norte to the Queen Charlotte Islands revealed patterns of morphological variation influenced by environmental factors. Key findings include a correlation between the number of perforations in the lichen's net buds and both proximity to the coast and latitude, with coastal samples having fewer perforations and a decrease in perforations with increasing latitude, particularly noticeable north of central Oregon where samples are exclusively coastal. Additionally, the study found significant relationships between morphological variations and environmental factors such as NaCl concentration and annual temperature variation, although the distribution of different forms of R. menziesii and patterns of annual precipitation showed some alignment, the presence and form of R. menziesii did not correlate with the distribution of eight tree species that serve as its substrate.^[15]

Photobiont

Lichen are a great example of a symbiotic interaction between a fungal body and an algal photobiont. The photobiont provides energy to the organism via photosynthesis, while the fungal body provides a habitat. 94% of the photobiont lineages of Ramalina menziesii are associated with Trebouxia decolorans, while the remainder are Trebouxia jamesii .^[13] While Ramalina menziesii only associates with one algal species, it has been found in association with six other fungal species.^[16]

Trebouxia decolorans shows significant genetic structure depending on the ecoregion, phorophyte species, and climate.^[13] This structure was likely shaped by geographic barriers or differences in climate and habitat. Within each ecoregion, specialization of T. decolorans to its specific phorophyte species was found.^[17] This allows for local adaptation and has an impact on the genetic structure of the population.

Bioindicators

Lichen have long been used as bioindicators for atmospheric pollution because they derive much of their resources from the air. Many species are also sensitive to environmental change, making them accurate warning signs for pollution.^[18] A study of archived Ramalina menziesii specimens showed a history of lead contamination in California. Lead concentrations in lace lichen peaked in 1976 at 880 μg/g due to leaded gasoline emissions and have since decreased to 0.2–4.7 μg/g.^[19]

In recent years, Ramalina menziesii has bioaccumulated monomethylmercury (MMHg) from coastal marine atmospheric fog. High concentrations found in lace lichen are transmitted to the deer that consume them, and later to the apex predators that consume the deer—a process called biomagnification. Although fog-borne MMHg only accounts for a small percentage of atmospheric deposition, it may have a disproportionate impact leading to toxicological effects on Puma concolor in coastal California.^[20]

Historical uses

Ramalina menziesii was first documented for its use by indigenous tribes of California. The Kawaiisu people reportedly used it for its magical properties. It would be placed in water to bring rain or placed in fire to repel thunder or lightning. The Kashaya Pomo people in Northern California used it as a sanitary material.^[6]

Related Research Articles

A lichen is a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among filaments of multiple fungi species, along with a yeast embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualistic relationship.

The Cladoniaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Lecanorales, comprising about 560 species distributed amongst 18 genera. This family is one of the largest among lichen-forming fungi and is globally distributed, from Arctic tundra to tropical rainforests, favouring humid environments while being intolerant of arid conditions. Molecular phylogenetics has significantly advanced the understanding of their complex taxonomic history, revealing intricate evolutionary relationships and leading to a refined classification. Notable members include reindeer moss and cup lichens of the genus Cladonia, which consist of about 500 species and forms a significant part of the diet for large mammals in taiga and tundra ecosystems.

<i>Xanthoria parietina</i> Species of lichen

Xanthoria parietina is a foliose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It has wide distribution, and many common names such as common orange lichen, yellow scale, maritime sunburst lichen and shore lichen. It can be found near the shore on rocks or walls, and also on inland rocks, walls, or tree bark. It was chosen as a model organism for genomic sequencing by the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI).

Trebouxia is a unicellular green alga. It is a photosynthetic organism that can exist in almost all habitats found in polar, tropical, and temperate regions. It can either exist in a symbiotic relationship with fungi in the form of lichen or it can survive independently as a free-living organism alone or in colonies. Trebouxia is the most common photobiont in extant lichens. It is a primary producer of marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. It uses carotenoids and chlorophyll a and b to harvest energy from the sun and provide nutrients to various animals and insects.

Parmelia sulcata, commonly known as the hammered shield lichen or cracked-shield lichen, is a foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. First described by Thomas Taylor in 1836, it is one of the most prevalent lichen species globally, known for its resilience to pollution and cosmopolitan distribution across temperate and cold regions of both hemispheres. P. sulcata forms a circular thallus up to 10 cm (4 in) in diameter, with a glaucous white to grey upper surface and a black lower surface, featuring broadly lobed structures with both marginal and laminal soralia and a distinctive reticulate pattern of pseudocyphellae.

The Roccellaceae are a family of mostly lichen-forming fungi in the order Arthoniales, established by the French botanist François Fulgis Chevallier in 1826. Species in the family exhibit various growth forms, including crustose and fruticose (shrub-like) thalli, and diverse reproductive structures. Roccellaceae species typically have disc-like or slit-like fruiting bodies, often with distinct blackened margins. Molecular phylogenetics studies have revealed considerable genetic diversity and complex evolutionary histories within the family.

Lobaria pulmonaria is a large epiphytic lichen consisting of an ascomycete fungus and a green algal partner living together in a symbiotic relationship with a cyanobacterium—a symbiosis involving members of three kingdoms of organisms. Commonly known by various names like tree lungwort, lung lichen, lung moss, lungwort lichen, oak lungs or oak lungwort, it is sensitive to air pollution and is also harmed by habitat loss and changes in forestry practices. Its population has declined across Europe and L. pulmonaria is considered endangered in many lowland areas. The species has a history of use in herbal medicines, and recent research has corroborated some medicinal properties of lichen extracts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramalinaceae</span>

The Ramalinaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Lecanorales. First proposed by Carl Adolph Agardh in 1821, the family now comprises 63 genera and about 750 species. Ramalinaceae lichens exhibit diverse growth forms, including crustose, fruticose, squamulose, leprose, and byssoid thalli, and form symbiotic relationships primarily with green algae of the genus Trebouxia. The family is characterised by pale-coloured thalli, apothecia that are typically pale but may darken with age, and ascospores that vary in shape and septation.

Ramalina is a genus of greenish fruticose lichens that grow in the form of flattened, strap-like branches. Members of the genus are commonly called strap lichens or cartilage lichens. Apothecia are lecanorine.

A cephalodium (pl. cephalodia) is a small gall-like structure found in some lichens. They occur only in lichens which contain both cyanobacterial and green algal partners. Cephalodia can occur within the tissues of the lichen, or on its upper or lower surface. Lichens with cephalodia can fix nitrogen, and may be an important contributor of nitrogen to the ecosystem.

Lichens are symbiotic organisms made up of multiple species: a fungus, one or more photobionts and sometimes a yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a characteristic known as their growth form. This form, which is based on the appearance of vegetative part of the lichen, varies depending on the species and the environmental conditions it faces. Those who study lichens (lichenologists) have described a dozen of these forms: areolate, byssoid, calicioid, cladoniform, crustose, filamentous, foliose, fruticose, gelatinous, leprose, placoidioid and squamulose. Traditionally, crustose (flat), foliose (leafy) and fruticose (shrubby) are considered to be the three main forms. In addition to these more formalised, traditional growth types, there are a handful of informal types named for their resemblance to the lichens of specific genera. These include alectorioid, catapyrenioid, cetrarioid, hypogymnioid, parmelioid and usneoid.

Lichen morphology describes the external appearance and structures of a lichen. These can vary considerably from species to species. Lichen growth forms are used to group lichens by "vegetative" thallus types, and forms of "non-vegetative" reproductive parts. Some lichen thalli have the aspect of leaves ; others cover the substrate like a crust, others such as the genus Ramalina adopt shrubby forms, and there are gelatinous lichens such as the genus Collema.

Symbiosis in lichens is the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship of green algae and/or blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) living among filaments of a fungus, forming lichen.

Parmelia barrenoae is a species of foliose lichen in the large family Parmeliaceae. It was formally described as a new species in 2005. Before this, it was lumped together as one of several lichens in the Parmelia sulcata group—a species complex of genetically distinct lookalikes. Parmelia barrenoae is widely distributed, occurring in Europe, western North America, Africa, and Asia.

Ramalina americana, commonly known as the sinewed ramalina, is a pale green fruticose lichen that is found across the Northern US Midwest, extending into Southern Canada and the Eastern Seaboard. It is characterized morphologically by the presence of pseudocyphellae, straight spores, and its unique chemical diversity.

Trebouxia decolorans is a widespread and common symbiotic species of green alga that is found in association with different species of lichen-forming fungi. Some lichens in which it is the photobiont partner are Xanthoria parietina and Anaptychia ciliaris.

Anaptychia ciliaris, commonly known as the great ciliated lichen or eagle's claws, is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Physciaceae. It is predominantly found in Northern Europe, with its range extending to European Russia, the Caucasus, Central and Southern Europe, the Canary Islands, and parts of Asia. First mentioned in botanical literature by the Italian botanist Fabio Colonna in 1606, the species was formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, who highlighted its unique physical characteristics such as its grey colour, its unusual leafy form with linear fringe-like segments, and the presence of hair-like structures. This lichen is adaptable in its choice of substrates, mostly growing on tree barks and less commonly on rocks.

Trebouxia arboricola is a symbiotic species of green alga in the family Trebouxiaceae. Described as new to science in 1924, it is usually found in association with different species of lichen-forming fungi and has a broad global distribution.

Ramalina leptocarpha, also known as the western strap lichen, is a species of cartilage lichen found in Oregon, California, and Baja California. The range of this species extends from the coast as far inland as the Sierra Nevada mountain range. R. leptocarpha often grows in epiphytic association with Ramalina menziesii. Trebouxia decolorans is its primary algal photobiont. This species was first described in 1858 by Edward Tuckerman from a collection made in Monterey, California.

Ramalina europaea is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Ramalinaceae. This species is widely distributed across Europe and is distinguished by its small, punctiform (point-like) soralia that often develop terminally on spine-like branchlets.

References

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↑ Knudsen, Kerry (2016). "Some results of Dr. Silke Werth's study of lace lichen" (PDF). Bulletin of the California Lichen Society. 23: 6–8.
1 2 3 4 Werth, Silke; Sork, Victoria L. (2014). "Ecological specialization in Trebouxia (Trebouxiophyceae) photobionts of Ramalina menziesii (Ramalinaceae) across six range-covering ecoregions of western North America". American Journal of Botany. 101 (7): 1127–1140. doi: 10.3732/ajb.1400025 . PMID 25016008.
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↑ Werth, Silke; Sork, Victoria L. (2010). "Identity and genetic structure of the photobiont of the epiphytic lichen Ramalina menziesii on three oak species in southern California". American Journal of Botany. 97 (5): 821–830. doi:10.3732/ajb.0900276. PMID 21622447.
↑ Jovan, Sarah (2008). Lichen bioindication of biodiversity, air quality, and climate: baseline results from monitoring in Washington, Oregon, and California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-737 (Report). Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. doi:10.2737/pnw-gtr-737. hdl: 2027/umn.31951d02981220h .
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