Xanthoparmelia scabrosa, jocularly known as sexy footpath lichen or sexy pavement lichen,[2] is a foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. It tolerates a very wide range of substrata, predominantly rock but also tree bark, roofing tiles, glass, and in wetter areas bitumen paths and roads.[3]
Xanthoparmelia scabrosa
At the edge of a footpath in Wellington, New Zealand
The lichen was dubbed 'sexy footpath lichen' in a talk for the Auckland Botanical Society by Allison Knight. The name was popularised by Peter de Lange as 'sexy pavement lichen'.[2]
Descriptionedit
Xanthoparmelia scabrosa has a thallus that is foliose (leafy in appearance). The upper surface is yellow-green, while the lower surface is pale to dark brown.[3]
Habitat and rangeedit
Xanthoparmelia scabrosa is common in Australia and New Zealand, also occurring on Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Argentina, South Africa and Japan.[3] In New Zealand it grows abundantly on roads and footpaths, ordinarily an inhospitable environment for lichens.[6]
Chemistryedit
Xanthoparmelia scabrosa appears to tolerate the high levels of heavy metals present in asphalt by accumulating these in the thallus. It can also accumulate high levels of calcium. These abilities may make it useful for phytoremediation.[6]
Medical useedit
Xanthoparmelia scabrosa has been marketed as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, but many scientists do not recommend this use. While the lichen contains a PDE5 inhibitor, which may inhibit an enzyme responsible for impotence, the same substance may itself be toxic. The lichen is also high in toxic heavy metals.[2]
^"Synonymy: Xanthoparmelia scabrosa (Taylor) Hale". Species Fungorum. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
^ abcHancock, Farah (14 August 2019). "Don't lick sexy pavement lichen - here's why". Newsroom. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
^ abc"Xanthoparmelia scabrosa (Taylor) Hale". Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories. Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
^Taylor, T. (1847). "New lichens, principally from the Herbarium of Sir William J. Hooker". London Journal of Botany. 6: 162.
^Hale, Mason E. (1974). "Bulbothrix, Parmelina, Relicina, Xanthoparmelia, four new genera in the Parmeliaceae (Lichenes)". Phytologia. 28 (5): 479–490.
^ abBennett, James P.; Wright, Darrell M. (2004). "Element Content of Xanthoparmelia scabrosa Growing on Asphalt in Urban and Rural New Zealand". The Bryologist. 107 (4): 421–428. doi:10.1639/0007-2745(2004)107[421:ECOXSG]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 85793564.
January 01, 1970
xanthoparmelia, scabrosa, jocularly, known, sexy, footpath, lichen, sexy, pavement, lichen, foliose, lichen, family, parmeliaceae, tolerates, very, wide, range, substrata, predominantly, rock, also, tree, bark, roofing, tiles, glass, wetter, areas, bitumen, pa. Xanthoparmelia scabrosa jocularly known as sexy footpath lichen or sexy pavement lichen 2 is a foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae It tolerates a very wide range of substrata predominantly rock but also tree bark roofing tiles glass and in wetter areas bitumen paths and roads 3 Xanthoparmelia scabrosa At the edge of a footpath in Wellington New Zealand Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Fungi Division Ascomycota Class Lecanoromycetes Order Lecanorales Family Parmeliaceae Genus Xanthoparmelia Species X scabrosa Binomial name Xanthoparmelia scabrosa Taylor Hale 1974 Synonyms 1 Parmelia scabrosa Taylor 1847 Parmelia conspersa var hypoclystoides Mull Arg 1883 Parmelia subexasperata Gyeln 1931 Parmelia protoisidiata Gyeln 1934 Parmelia hypoclystoides Mull Arg Gyeln 1935 Parmelia subreagens Gyeln 1938 Parmelia scabropustulata Elix 1981 Xanthoparmelia hypoclystoides Mull Arg Hale 1974 Contents 1 Taxonomy and naming 2 Description 3 Habitat and range 4 Chemistry 5 Medical use 6 See also 7 ReferencesTaxonomy and naming editThe lichen was first formally described under the name Parmelia scabrosa in 1847 by botanist Thomas Taylor The type was collected by botanist James Drummond near Swan River in Western Australia 4 It became known as a species of Xanthoparmelia in 1974 when Mason Hale promoted that subgenus of Parmelia to generic status 5 The lichen was dubbed sexy footpath lichen in a talk for the Auckland Botanical Society by Allison Knight The name was popularised by Peter de Lange as sexy pavement lichen 2 Description editXanthoparmelia scabrosa has a thallus that is foliose leafy in appearance The upper surface is yellow green while the lower surface is pale to dark brown 3 Habitat and range editXanthoparmelia scabrosa is common in Australia and New Zealand also occurring on Norfolk Island Papua New Guinea Fiji Argentina South Africa and Japan 3 In New Zealand it grows abundantly on roads and footpaths ordinarily an inhospitable environment for lichens 6 Chemistry editXanthoparmelia scabrosa appears to tolerate the high levels of heavy metals present in asphalt by accumulating these in the thallus It can also accumulate high levels of calcium These abilities may make it useful for phytoremediation 6 Medical use editXanthoparmelia scabrosa has been marketed as a treatment for erectile dysfunction but many scientists do not recommend this use While the lichen contains a PDE5 inhibitor which may inhibit an enzyme responsible for impotence the same substance may itself be toxic The lichen is also high in toxic heavy metals 2 See also editList of Xanthoparmelia speciesReferences edit Synonymy Xanthoparmelia scabrosa Taylor Hale Species Fungorum Retrieved June 7 2020 a b c Hancock Farah 14 August 2019 Don t lick sexy pavement lichen here s why Newsroom Retrieved 14 August 2019 a b c Xanthoparmelia scabrosa Taylor Hale Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources Retrieved 14 August 2019 Taylor T 1847 New lichens principally from the Herbarium of Sir William J Hooker London Journal of Botany 6 162 Hale Mason E 1974 Bulbothrix Parmelina Relicina Xanthoparmelia four new genera in the Parmeliaceae Lichenes Phytologia 28 5 479 490 a b Bennett James P Wright Darrell M 2004 Element Content of Xanthoparmelia scabrosa Growing on Asphalt in Urban and Rural New Zealand The Bryologist 107 4 421 428 doi 10 1639 0007 2745 2004 107 421 ECOXSG 2 0 CO 2 S2CID 85793564 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Xanthoparmelia scabrosa amp oldid 1177615615, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
