Powdery Twig Lichen
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Powdery Twig Lichen

Ramalina pollinaria

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramalina_pollinaria

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Ramalina pollinaria faces severe decline due to air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur compounds that alter its delicate chemical balance. Urban expansion and industrial development have eliminated many of its traditional host trees, while climate change creates increasingly unsuitable microclimatic conditions. The species' extremely slow growth rate and limited dispersal ability make recovery from local extinctions nearly impossible.

Threat summary

Habitat

This epiphytic lichen grows exclusively on the bark of mature deciduous trees, particularly favoring oak and ash species in old-growth woodlands and ancient parklands. It requires specific microclimatic conditions with high humidity, clean air, and stable temperature ranges found in undisturbed forest ecosystems.

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Ramalinaceae

CR

Ramalina protensa

Unknown
VU

Kornet grenlav

Ramalina polymorpha

Unknown
VU

Bacidia friesiana

Unknown
VU

kristallundlav

Bacidia absistens

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Powdery Twig Lichen classified as Endangered?
Powdery Twig Lichen is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Ramalina pollinaria faces severe decline due to air pollution, particularly nitrogen deposition and sulfur compounds that alter its delicate chemical balance. Urban expansion and industrial development have eliminated many of its traditional host trees, while climate change creates increasingly unsuitable microclimatic conditions. The species' extremely slow growth rate and limited dispersal ability make recovery from local extinctions nearly impossible.
Where does Powdery Twig Lichen live?
Powdery Twig Lichen occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Powdery Twig Lichen?
The main threats to Powdery Twig Lichen are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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