Where’s Wildlife · Mushroom Field Guide
Peltigera sp.
Pronounced (approx.): pel-TIJ-er-uh
Leaflike lobes and upright brown fruiting structures distinguish these woodland lichens.
Dog Lichen. Select the photo to browse the gallery. Photographs © Where’s Wildlife.
NORTH AMERICAN GENUS
Fruiting varies with local weather and habitat.
Broad, leaflike gray-brown lobes
Brown fruiting structures on raised lobe tips
Growing among mosses and woodland debris
Compare form, texture and growing surfaces in the photographs below.
These photographs support Peltigera, commonly called dog lichens. The exact species remains unresolved; the earlier Peltigera aphthosa label has not been confirmed.
Species identification often requires the underside veins and rootlike attachment structures, as well as surface texture and reproductive features. These views do not establish P. aphthosa, P. canina or P. rufescens.
Soil and mossy surfaces in woodland and other habitats. Visible through much of the year when exposed.
A lichen is a partnership involving a fungus and photosynthetic organisms. The brown structures visible here are apothecia, which produce fungal spores.
The visible body contains fungal and photosynthetic partners.
The raised brown structures produce fungal spores.
Underside photographs can be important for species identification.
Peltigera occurs widely. The precise locality of these two photographs has not yet been recorded.
Explore reported sightings on iNaturalist. Observation records are not a complete range map.
Photographs © Where’s Wildlife.
Identification notes & comments
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