Polychidium
Sign in to savePolychidium is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Massalongiaceae. These lichens form tiny, shrub-like tufts with branching filaments that create woolly cushions on moss-covered rocks and tree twigs. The genus was traditionally thought to include four similar-looking species, but molecular studies revealed that three of these actually belong to a different genus called Leptogidium. Today, Polychidium in the strict sense contains only P. muscicola and three closely related species, found from tropical to subarctic regions worldwide.
Species
GENUS
- KingdomFungi
- PhylumAscomycota
- ClassLecanoromycetes
- OrderPeltigerales
- FamilyMassalongiaceae
via GBIF
Wikidata facts
Show 4 more facts
- taxon name
- Polychidium
- taxon common name
- Woollybear lichens
- Commons category
- Polychidium
- taxon author citation
- (Ach.) Gray
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Article
5 sectionsContents
- Taxonomy
- Description
- Habitat and distribution
- Species
- References
Polychidium is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Massalongiaceae. These lichens form tiny, shrub-like tufts with branching filaments that create woolly cushions on moss-covered rocks and tree twigs. The genus was traditionally thought to include four similar-looking species, but molecular studies revealed that three of these actually belong to a different genus called Leptogidium. Today, Polychidium in the strict sense contains only P. muscicola and three closely related species, found from tropical to subarctic regions worldwide.
==Taxonomy==