Fungus · GBIF taxon 5260515
Smooth Rock Tripe
Umbilicaria mammulataAlso known as Rock Tripe, Navel Lichen
Smooth rock tripe is a massive foliose lichen that anchors to vertical granite cliffs and shaded boulders via a single tough central holdfast called an umbilicus. When rain or heavy fog rolls in, its brittle, papery thallus rapidly hydrates into a pliable, leathery sheet that shifts in hue from dusky brownish gray to deep olive green. These slow-growing organisms create miniature ecosystems across exposed stone, moderating rock surface temperatures and providing shelter for microarthropods.
FolioseRock-DwellingSlow-Growing
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—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photosynthetic symbiosis (green algae)
Predators
- Oribatid mites
- Springtails
- Gastropods
ThreatsAtmospheric pollution, acid rain, rock climbing disturbance, and prolonged droughts
HabitatsShaded siliceous rock outcrops, cliff faces, and talus slopes in temperate deciduous and mixed forests
Life spanSeveral decades to over a century
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderUmbilicariales
- FamilyUmbilicariaceae
- GenusUmbilicaria
- SpeciesUmbilicaria mammulata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many edible mushrooms and wild fungi have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Moisture Observation: Check boulders after rain to watch the brittle thallus turn supple and vibrant olive-green.
- Tread Lightly: Avoid stepping on or prying dry specimens from rock walls, as the brittle central attachment snaps easily.
Competitor (c) mister_bumble, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by mister_bumble · cc-by
Image unavailableSymbiont 
Close Relative (c) Zac Peterson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-byClose Relative
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