Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Peltigera praetextata (Flörke ex Sommerf.) Zopf.
Scaly Dog Lichen

Peltigera praetextata is a large lichen that grows over mosses on rock or soil. It is gray to brown on the upper surface, the lower surface being white with raised, slightly brownish veins. The most obvious identifying characteristic are the small lobules that are produced on thallous margins or near cracks. The photobiont is Nostoc. Our specimen was heavily pruinose and growing in the open. We found this specimen of Peltigera praetextata overgrowing the moss Syntrichia ruralis on rocks and soil at middle elevation in Pinyon-Juniper woodland.
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Peltigera praetextata, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, growing over moss, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, closeup of thallous, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, photomicrograph demonstrating lobules, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, photomicrograph demonstrating lobules, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, photomicrograph rhizines and tomentum on lower margin, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, photomicrograph of undersurface of thallous, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, photomicrograph of algal layer (Nostoc), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, photomicrograph of cross section of thallous, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020



Peltigera praetextata, photomicrograph of cross section of thallous, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, March 29, 2020


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