The Status of Sticta sylvatica, an ‘Exceedingly Rare’ Lichen Species, in Eastern North America
Hodkinson BP, Lendemer JC, McDonald T, Harris RC. 2014. The Status of Sticta sylvatica, an ‘Exceedingly Rare’ Lichen Species, in Eastern North America. Evansia. 31(1):17-24
The presence of the foliose cyanolichen Sticta sylvatica in eastern North America has been called into question due to the absence of high-quality, verifiable material and the common misuse of its name. Recently, specimens collected in the Great Smoky Mountains have been verified as having the typical S. sylvatica morphology. Although molecular data remain inconclusive regarding the entity’s genetic distinctiveness from the phenotypically dissimilar S. limbata, we argue that the decline in the abundance of this morphological entity worldwide along with the need for further genetic study make continued conservation efforts imperative.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Hodkinson, Brendan; Lendemer, James; McDonald, Tami; Harris, Richard
- Units
- BLRI , GRSM
- Keywords
- All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, ATBI, BLRI, Blue Ridge Parkway, Conservation, Fungi, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, GRSM-00664, GRSM-00825, ITS, Lichen, molecular barcoding, Peaks of Otter, Rare Species, SER, Southeast Region, Taxonomy