Description ³

 Thallus: fruticose, pendulous, 20-50(-200) cm long; branching: subparallel, irregular or dichotomously branched growing from a narrow holdfast or unattached; branches: solid, flattened, reticulate net-like fenestration common on side and distal branches, up to 3(-10) mm wide; surface: yellowish green, smooth or conspicuous striated by pseudocyphellae, shiny, sorediate; pseudocyphellae: common, narrowly linear, laminal or rarely marginal; cortex: thin; chondroid strands: discontinuous, smooth; Apothecia: frequent, stipitate; disc: flat to +concave, without a white margin; margin: pseudocyphellate, concolorous with the thallus; asci: elongate-clavate, 8spored; ascospores: hyaline, 1-septate, broadly fusiform, 12-15 x 4.5-5.6 µm; Pycnidia: not observed; Spot tests: cortex K-, C-, KC+ yellow, P-; medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-; Secondary metabolites: cortex with usnic acid (minor); medulla: none detected.; Substrate and ecology: on bark; World distribution: western North America from central Baja California to southern Alaska; Sonoran distribution: southern California, Baja California and Baja California Sur.; Notes: Ramalina menziesii is unique in having pendulous branches with net-like perforations, lacking soralia, and in producing no chemical metabolites. The distinction with R. usnea is given under that species. 

Sources and Credits

1. (c) CALS, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by CALS
2. (c) CALS, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by CALS
3. (c) Lichen Unlimited: Arizona State University, Tempe., some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10548678

More Info

• iNat taxon page
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