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Western Waterfan Lichen - Peltigera gowardii
Other Names:
Peltigera hydrothyria [name misapplied in western North America], Hydrothyria venosa
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Known from a few sites in western Montana.
General Description
Thallus foliose, gelatinous (non-stratified), medium sized, dark bluish gray to dark gray or black, loosely appressed in ruffles; lobes to about 1 cm wide; lower surface dark, distinctly veined; apothecia common, the disk brownish, spores 3-septate; and the photobiont blue-green
(McCune and Geiser 2009). Chemistry: All spot tests negative
(McCune and Geiser 2009).
Diagnostic Characteristics
The only gelatinous lichen with distinct veins. It is also the largest strictly aquatic lichen in the Pacific Northwest. Look for the dark, ruffled masses in small spring-fed streams. While searching for P. hydrothyria you will encounter ear-like lobes of non-lichenized Nostoc attached to submerged rocks; these are more jelly-like than P. hydrothyria and are never veined
(McCune and Geiser 2009).
Range Comments
Known from each of the major mountain chains in the U.S. and southern Canada, but more common in the Cascade and Sierra Nevada Ranges than in the other ranges (McCune and Geiser 2009).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 3
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Aquatic, in mountain streams and springs, especially those without marked seasonal fluctuations. Grows on rock and gravel, rarely on wood.
Ecology
Aquatic. An indicator of good water quality. Photobiont is cyanobacteria (Nostoc), a nitrogen-fixer.
Reproductive Characteristics
Reproduces sexually by spores from the apothecium.
Threats or Limiting Factors
Water pollution.
References
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Western Waterfan Lichen"
