Powdery Kidney Lichen
Nephroma parile
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephroma_parile
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Ascomycota
Class
Lecanoromycetes
Order
Peltigerales
Family
Nephromataceae
Genus
Nephroma
Powdery Kidney Lichen belongs to the family Nephromataceae, order Peltigerales, within the Lecanoromycetes class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Powdery Kidney Lichen faces severe threats from air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur compounds, which dramatically alter the chemical composition of its substrate and surrounding environment. Climate change is causing shifts in precipitation patterns and temperature regimes that disrupt the delicate moisture balance this species requires, while habitat fragmentation from deforestation and urban development eliminates suitable old-growth forest environments.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Powdery Kidney Lichen grows on the bark of deciduous trees, particularly in humid old-growth and mature secondary forests with high air quality. It typically occurs in cool, moist woodland environments where it forms distinctive leafy thalli on tree trunks and branches.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Powdery Kidney Lichen faces severe threats from air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur compounds, which dramatically alter the chemical composition of its substrate and surrounding environment. Climate change is causing shifts in precipitation patterns and temperature regimes that disrupt the delicate moisture balance this species requires, while habitat fragmentation from deforestation and urban development eliminates suitable old-growth forest environments.
Acid rain and atmospheric chemical changes
Air pollution and nitrogen deposition
Climate change and altered precipitation patterns
Deforestation and habitat fragmentation
Loss of old-growth forest ecosystems
Community Sightings
Report a sightingNo community sightings yet. Be the first to report!
Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Powdery Kidney Lichen (Nephroma parile). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/powdery-kidney-lichen