# Dotted Ribbon Lichen

*Ramalina fastigiata*

The small, cup-like structures dotting its tips are called apothecia; they act as tiny fungal launchpads, releasing spores into the wind.

- **Taxonomy:** Fungi › Ascomycota › Lecanoromycetes › Lecanorales › Ramalinaceae › Ramalina
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Well-lit trunks and branches of deciduous trees in open woodlands, orchards, and parklands.
- **Diet:** Photoautotrophic; produces energy via photosynthesis using its symbiotic algal partner.
- **Range:** Europe, North America, North Africa, Western Asia
- **Size:** Tufts measuring 2 to 5 cm in height and width
- **Lifespan:** 10 to 50 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Air pollution (particularly sulfur dioxide and heavy metals), habitat loss from intensive forestry, and climate change.
- **Safe to approach?:** This species is entirely harmless to humans. You can safely observe or gently touch its paper-like lobes. Do not scrape or peel it from its host tree, as lichens grow incredibly slowly and damage can take decades to heal. Its presence is a great sign of excellent local air quality!

## About

Ramalina fastigiata is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Ramalinaceae. It is a common species found in Asia, Europe, and North America.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/b50621ef-27de-4001-876d-3f1fd3c67877
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/229764
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramalina fastigiata
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/67595843/medium.jpg (rmjb, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

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