Stats

Lifespan

Decades

Size

Medium

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Common

About

One of the world's most widespread foliose lichens, Parmelia sulcata clings to tree bark and rock with a grey-green leafy thallus laced by a raised white network of ridges — the 'net' that gives it its name. It is unusually pollution-tolerant, making it a familiar sight on city street trees long after more sensitive lichens have vanished.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   spore

   A microscopic spore drifts on air or water and germinates where moisture and substrate meet.
2. 2.
   mycelium

   A thread-like mycelium spreads through the substrate, breaking it down into nutrients.
3. 3.
   fruiting body

   A mature fruiting body emerges to release the next generation of spores.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Ascomycota

Class

Lecanoromycetes

Order

Lecanorales

Family

Parmeliaceae

Genus

Parmelia

Species

Parmelia sulcata