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Usnea vainioi
Usnea vainioi is a rare species of beard lichen in the family Parmeliaceae found in the southeastern United States. It was described as a new species in 1936 by Polish lichenologist Józef Motyka.[1] The specific epithet honours Finnish lichenologist Edvard August Vainio.[2] The lichen contains (in addition to usnic acid) diffractaic acid as the main secondary compound.[3] Usnea vainioi grows in clusters or tufts, sometimes hanging from its substrate by a single holdfast, and is up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long. Its lateral branches are up to 8 cm (3.1 in) long, although they more typically are in the range 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2.0 in). The cortex is green, while the medulla, which has a central cavity, is more variable in color – typically red and white with tinges of yellow.[4] Because the type collection of Usnea vainioi was a mixed collection containing thalli both with and without soredia, a sorediate thallus was selected as the lectotype of the species by Roderick Rogers and G. Nell Stevens in a 1988 publication.[3] References
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