''Placopsis lambii'' is a species of

saxicolous This glossary of mycology is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to mycology, the study of fungi. Terms in common with other fields, if repeated here, generally focus on their mycology-specific meaning. Related terms can be found ...

(rock-dwelling),

crustose lichen Crustose lichens are lichens that form a crust which strongly adheres to the Substrate (biology), substrate (soil, rock, tree bark, etc.), making separation from the substrate impossible without destruction. The basic structure of crustose lichen ...

in the family

Trapeliaceae Trapeliaceae is a family (biology), family of lichens in the order Baeomycetales. The family contains 12 genus, genera and about 125 species. Taxonomy Trapeliaceae was originally circumscription (taxonomy), circumscribed by French lichenologist ...

. It was

formally described A species description is a formal scientific description of a newly encountered species, typically articulated through a scientific publication. Its purpose is to provide a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differ ...

as a new species in 1987 by lichenologists

Hannes Hertel Hannes Hertel is a German lichenologist and taxonomist and was Director of the State Herbarium in Munich, Germany 1992–2004. His specialist areas are the fungi and lichens. Early life and education Hannes Hertel was born in 1939. His doctorat ...

and Volkmar Wirth. The

species epithet Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany) ...

''lambii'' honours polar explorer and lichenologist

Elke Mackenzie Elke Mackenzie (11 September 1911 – 18 January 1990), born Ivan Mackenzie Lamb, was a British polar explorer and botanist who specialised in the field of lichenology. Beginning her education in Edinburgh, Scotland, Mackenzie later pursued bo ...

(formerly Lamb). In North America, one

vernacular name Vernacular is the ordinary, informal, spoken form of language, particularly when perceived as having lower social status or less prestige than standard language, which is more codified, institutionally promoted, literary, or formal. More n ...

for the lichen is pink bull's-eye lichen. ''Placopsis lambii'' is distinguished by its thallus that features deeply notched and radiating edge , a glossy upper surface, typically dark and somewhat rounded

soralia Soredia are common reproductive structures of lichens. Lichens reproduce asexually by employing simple fragmentation and production of soredia and isidia. Soredia are powdery propagules composed of fungal hyphae wrapped around cyanobacteria or g ...

, and non-lobate

cephalodia A cephalodium () is a small gall-like structure found in some lichens. They occur only in lichens which contain both cyanobacterial and green algal partners. Cephalodia can occur within the tissues of the lichen, or on its upper or lower surface. ...

that may be absent in certain samples. This species predominantly produces 5-''O''-methylhiascic and

gyrophoric acid Gyrophoric acid is a tridepside. It is a double ester of the orsellinic acid. It can also be found in most of the species of the lichen genera '' Actinogyra'', '' Lasallia'', and '' Umbilicaria'' . Natural occurrence and biosynthesis Gyropho ...

s. ''Placopsis lambii'' has a widespread but scattered distribution. It has been recorded from many countries in Europe, Africa (Kenya, Lesotho, and Tanzania), South America (Bolivia, Chile), Central America (Costa Rica, Ecuador), New Zealand, and Asian Russia.

References

Baeomycetales Lichen species Lichens described in 1987 Lichens of Africa Lichens of Europe Lichens of Central America Lichens of South America Lichens of New Zealand Taxa named by Hannes Hertel {{Lecanoromycetes-stub