Hypotrachyna physodalica (Hale) Hale

Hypotrachyna physodalica

Parmelia physodalica Hale, 1971d:436. [Type collection: Guasca, Cundinamarca, Colombia, Perez-Arbelaez 1104 (US, holotype).]

Thallus loosely adnate, often scattered, coriaceous but easily breaking apart, sea-foam yellow, to 8 cm broad; lobes sublinear, elongate, sparsely dichotomously branched, separate, 1–3 mm wide; upper surface plane, shiny, maculae, soredia, and isidia lacking; lower surface moderately to densely rhizinate, the rhizines dichotomously branched. Apothecia not seen.

CHEMISTRY.—Cortex K−, medulla K−, C−, P+ orange-red (usnic acid, physodalic acid, and a trace of protocetraric acid or usnic acid and protocetraric acid only).

DISTRIBUTION.—Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru.

HABITAT.—On soil and over humus in the paramo at 3700–4100 m elevation.