Niebla versiforma
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| Niebla versiforma | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Lecanorales |
| Family: | Ramalinaceae |
| Genus: | Niebla |
| Species: | N. versiforma |
| Binomial name | |
| Niebla versiforma Spjut (1996) | |
Niebla versiforma is a rare fruticose lichen that grows on gravelly soil along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California on a mesa above San Antonio del Mar just north of Punta Colonet.[1] The epithet, versiforma is in reference to the various shapes of a thallus branch.
Niebla versiforma is distinguished by the thallus divided into numerous branches and branchlets entangled together into a hemispherical or ball like mat, similar to the reindeer lichen, Cladonia rangiferina; the primary branches somewhat ribbon-like with variously widened and narrow twisted parts, bearing crooked spinuliferous branchlets, to 4 cm high and 6 cm across, and further distinguished by containing divaricatic acid, with triterepenes.[1] The species appears to be a hybrid between Niebla effusa, which differs in having salazinic acid, and Niebla juncosa var. spinulifera, which differs in having uniformly narrow branches.[1]