# Fluffy Dust Lichen

*Lepraria finkii*

This lichen is 'leprose,' meaning it lacks a structured outer skin and consists entirely of powdery granules called soredia used for reproduction.

- **Taxonomy:** Fungi › Ascomycota › Lecanoromycetes › Lecanorales › Stereocaulaceae › Lepraria
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Shaded rock faces, tree bases, and damp soil in humid temperate forests.
- **Diet:** Phototrophic; produces energy via its internal green algae and absorbs minerals from rain and atmosphere.
- **Range:** North America, Europe, Asia, Australasia
- **Size:** Individual granules are microscopic; colonies form mats 1-20cm wide.
- **Lifespan:** 50-150 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** High sensitivity to air pollution (sulfur dioxide) and loss of old-growth forest canopy.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. This species is safe to observe closely. Avoid scraping, peeling, or touching the lichen, as it grows extremely slowly and is sensitive to oils from human skin.

## About

Lepraria finkii is a type of lichen in the genus Lepraria . Its colours range from a greenish-gray to a bluish-green. The organism is generally found everywhere in the world, but more commonly found in tropical areas; it can be spotted in shaded areas on tree trunks, overtaking bryophytes, in soil banks, and in dry niches.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/04a91f66-7d8c-4206-8ef7-b08c199e9d93
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/463344
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepraria finkii
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/80085552/medium.jpg (Neal Kelso, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.