Vermilacinia

Vermilacinia, a genus of lichenized fungi in the family Ramalinaceae, is a yellow-green fruticose type of lichen with about 30 species that grow on rocks, trees, and soil within the fog zone along the Pacific Coast of North America and South America. The genus name refers to the thallus being divided into narrow worm-like (vermis) branches (lacinia);the latter part of the name (lacinia) generally applied in descriptions and taxonomic keys such as exemplified in a key to Sonoran Desert species of Ramalina. The species of Vermilacinia are classified in two subgenera: subgenus Cylindricaria and subgenus Vermilacinia. Subgenus Cylindricaria, which includes 10+ species (type: Vermilacinia corrugata Spjut) that grow mostly on shrubs, is distinguished by a thin membranous pliable cortex (an outer skin-like layer composed of gelatinized hyphal cells) that expands as the thallus imbibes moisture, usually from fog, and shrinks upon drying (as fog dissipates). Subgenus Vermilacinia, which inclu......read more on Wikipedia.