Fauna
Fungus

Powder-edged Speckled Greenshield

Flavopunctelia soredica

Also known as Powder-edged Greenshield, Speckled Greenshield Lichen

Powder-edged speckled greenshield forms spreading, yellow-green foliose rosettes across tree bark, fence rails, and sunlit boulders throughout temperate regions of the globe. Its lobe margins are conspicuously lined with fine, powdery soredia that crumble off to disperse the fungus and its green-algal partner in the wind. Like many members of its family, it accumulates atmospheric nutrients directly from air and precipitation, serving as a sensitive natural barometer of local air quality.

LichenEpiphyticBioindicator
Powder-edged Speckled Greenshield reference1 / 7
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—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic sugars, Atmospheric moisture, Airborne dust particles
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Oribatid mites
  • Barklice
ThreatsSulfur dioxide air pollution, intensive deforestation, and urban development
HabitatsDeciduous and coniferous tree bark, fenceposts, and exposed rocky outcrops
Life spanDecades (potentially exceeding 50 years)
Classification
  1. FamilyParmeliaceae
  2. SpeciesFlavopunctelia soredica
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many wild fungi have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Magnification: Examine lobe margins with a 10x hand lens to distinguish soredia from surface pores.
  • Preservation: Avoid scraping or peeling thalli from bark, as lichens take years to recover.
Related species
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