Cumberland Rock Shield
(Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia)
Conservation • Description • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
Cumberland Rock Shield is a common leaf-like (foliose) lichen. It occurs throughout the United States, southern Canada, and Mexico. In the U.S., it is absent from the Great Plains and the Great Basin, and it is mostly absent from the deep south. It is found in sheltered or semi-sheltered areas, rarely in deserts or plains. It grows almost exclusively over bare, acidic rock, rarely on soil or on moss. The vegetative body (thallus) is 2⅜″ to 4¾″ (6 to 12 cm) in diameter, more or less circular in outline, and divided into widely spreading lobes. It is closely to loosely attached to the substrate. The lobes are flat, long, 1 ⁄32″ to 3 ⁄16″ (0.1 to 5 mm) wide, and usually irregular in outline, but they sometimes have straight sides ((linear), especially toward the center. They are separate, not fused together, and they are usually touching but sometimes they partially overlap. The tips are usually rounded, sometimes more or less abruptly squared, as if cut off (truncate). The lobes are often branched. The upper surface is shiny and pale yellowish green in humid weather, bluish gray green in dry weather. It is smooth, without isidia, soralia, or pruinescence. The lower thallus surface is pale brown or brown. It is moderately covered with pale brown, 1⁄64″ to 1⁄32″ (0.3 to 0.8 mm) long, unbranched, root-like structures (rhizines). Disk-like spore producing structures (apothecia) are common. When present, they are 1 ⁄16″ to ⅜″ (2 to 10 mm) wide and have a cinnamon brown to dark brown disc. |
Similar Species |
Ecology |
Substrate |
Rock |
Growth Form |
Foliose |
Habitat |
Sheltered or semi-sheltered areas |
Hosts |
Acidic rock |
Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 3/18/2025 | ||
Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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Kingdom |
Fungi (fungi) |
Subkingdom |
Dikarya |
Phylum |
Ascomycota (sac fungi) |
Subphylum |
Pezizomycotina (sac fungi amd lichens) |
Class |
Lecanoromycetes (common lichens) |
Subclass |
Lecanoromycetidae (shield lichens, sunburst lichens, rosette lichens, and allies) |
Order |
Lecanorales (shield lichens, rim lichens, and allies) |
Suborder |
Lecanorineae |
Family |
Parmeliaceae (shield lichens and allies) |
Subfamily |
Parmelioideae (typical shield lichens) |
Genus |
Xanthoparmelia (rock shield lichens) |
Mycobiont |
Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia |
Photobiont |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Parmelia cumberlandia Parmelia subconspersa var. cumberlandia |
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Common Names |
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Cumberland Rock Shield Cumberland Rock Shield Lichen Questionable Rockfrog Questionable Rockfrog Lichen |
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Glossary
Foliose
Leaf-like; referring to lichens with thin, flat, leaf-like growths divided into lobes which are free from the substrate.
Isidium
An asexual reproductive structure of a lichen in the form of a tiny outgrowth of the upper cortex. It consists of a cluster of algal cells (the photobiont) wrapped in fungal filaments (the mycobiont), and a shiny outer layer of protective tissue (cortex). Plural: isidia.
Linear
Long, straight, and narrow, with more or less parallel sides, like a blade of grass.
Pruinescence
A waxy or powdery dust or bloom that covers the underlying coloration and gives a dusty or frosty appearance. Adjective: pruinose.
Soralium
On lichens, an area on the thallus with no cortex, usually on or near the margin or the tip of a lobe, on which soredia are produced. Plural: soralia.
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Dan W. Andree |
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Here is another Lichen... On a rock out on the prairie at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA. Nice colorful rock and the lichen added interest to it. There wasn’t a whole lot going on out there so I just looked for lichens or anything interesting that I could find. |
Lichen on a Granite Boulder... This one was a ways off onto the Frenchman’s Bluff SNA prairie but am certain the boulder is granite but no clue about the lichen that seemed to be mainly on one side of it. I think this is the last one now. |
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Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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South mountain park, Mormon trail, Phoenix area, Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia |
About
Jun 19, 2022 There is very little on this lichen outside scientific papers but its very much a Xanthoparmelia, color and texture wise, it is not isidiate and has a small number of apothecia, fewer than X. coloradoensis but they are common, so thats my conclusion right now. |
Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia - lichenized fungus (Parmeliaceae) |
About
Jun 10, 2015 Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia - Rock lichen - lichenized fungus - Cumberland Rock Shield - Líquen de pedra (Fungi - Ascomycota - Lecanoromycetes - Lecanorales - Parmeliaceae) Biodiversidade, Biodiversity, Nature videos, Vídeos de Natureza, Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brasil |
Visitor Sightings |
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Dan W. Andree |
Location: Frenchman’s Bluff SNA This one was a ways off onto the Frenchman’s Bluff SNA prairie but am certain the boulder is granite but no clue about the lichen that seemed to be mainly on one side of it. I think this is the last one now. |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 3/18/2025 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |