Caloplaca obamae
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| Caloplaca obamae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Teloschistales |
| Family: | Teloschistaceae |
| Genus: | Caloplaca |
| Species: | C. obamae |
| Binomial name | |
| Caloplaca obamae Knudsen (2009) | |
Caloplaca obamae is a species of crustose lichen in the fungus genus Caloplaca. It is the first species to be named in honor of United States President Barack Obama. C. obamae was discovered in 2007 by Kerry Knudsen on Santa Rosa Island in California and published in March 2009. Knudsen stated that he chose to honor Obama for "his support of science and scientific education" and wrote the manuscript for publication of the species in the time between Obama's election and his inauguration.[2][3]
Caloplaca obamae produces a thin thallus arranged in orange granules that are 30–50 μm in diameter and form patches that can be 0.2–1 mm in diameter, ultimately covering an area on the soil up to 6–7 cm2. The algal layer is discontinuous and usually 50–100 μm thick under the granule patches. It appears that C. obamae is sterile and does not produce ascospores; the apothecia that were present in specimens may belong to an associated species, Caloplaca ludificans.[3] Caloplaca obamae is similar in appearance to Caloplaca xanthostigmoidea.[3]