There are at least 41 species of Lichens, Ascomycota known to exist in Montana. The Montana Natural Heritage Program has identified a number of lichen species as Species of Concern. The Ascomycota are a Division/Phylum of the kingdom Fungi, and subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi. They are the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The defining feature of this fungal group is the "ascus" (from Greek: ἀσκός (askos), meaning "sac" or "wineskin"), a microscopic sexual structure in which nonmotile spores, called ascospores, are formed. However, some species of the Ascomycota are asexual, meaning that they do not have a sexual cycle and thus do not form asci or ascospores. Previously placed in the Deuteromycota along with asexual species from other fungal taxa, asexual (or anamorphic) ascomycetes are now identified and classified based on morphological or physiological similarities to ascus-bearing taxa, and by phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences.
Arctomiaceae Delicate arctomia lichen, Arctomia delicatula Brigantiaeaceae Brick-spored firedot lichen, Brigantiaea praetermissa Cladoniaceae Thorn cladonia lichen, Cladonia uncialis Wooden soldiers lichen, Cladonia botrytes Collemataceae Jelly lichen, Collema curtisporum Coniocybaceae Collared glass whiskers lichen, Sclerophora amabilis Hymeneliaceae Vagrant aspicilia lichen, Aspicilia fruticulosa Lecanoraceae Wanderlust lichen, Rhizoplaca haydenii Lobariaceae Cabbage lungwort lichen, Lobaria linita Gray lungwort lichen, Lobaria hallii Netted specklebelly lichen, Pseudocyphellaria anomala Textured lungwort lichen, Lobaria scrobiculata Thorn lichen, Dendriscocaulon umhausense Pannariaceae Lead lichen, Parmeliella triptophylla Parmeliaceae Camouflage lichen, Melanelia commixta Chestnut wrinkle-lichen, Cetraria sepincola Foxtail lichen, Nodobryoria subdivergens Frosted finger lichen, Dactylina ramulosa Mountain oakmoss lichen, Evernia divaricata Northern camouflage lichen, Melanelia septentrionalis Ribbon rag lichen, Platismatia stenophylla Ring lichen, Arctoparmelia subcentrifuga Shield lichen, Parmelia fraudans Tattered rag lichen, Platismatia herrei Peltigeraceae Chocolate chip lichen, Solorina bispora Chocolate chip lichen, Solorina octospora Fringed chocolate chip lichen, Solorina spongiosa Fringed pelt lichen, Peltigera pacifica Waterfan lichen, Peltigera hydrothyria Pertusariaceae Wart lichen, Pertusaria diluta Physciaceae Shadow lichen, Phaeophyscia kairamoi Psoraceae Scale lichen, Psora rubiformis Ramalinaceae Hooded ramalina lichen, Ramalina obtusata Powdery twig lichen, Ramalina pollinaria Slit-rimmed ramalina lichen, Ramalina subleptocarpha Sphaerophoraceae Coral lichen, Sphaerophorus tuckermanii Stereocaulaceae Easter lichen, Stereocaulon paschale Umbilicariaceae Rock tripe lichen, Umbilicaria havaasii Rock tripe lichen, Umbilicaria hirsuta Verrucariaceae Elf-ear lichen, Normandina pulchella Speck lichen, Verrucaria kootenaica
Further reading Rydberg, Per Axel (1900). Catalogue of the flora of Montana and the Yellowstone National Park (PDF). New York: New York Botanical Garden. Bovey, Robin B.; Marsh, Janet E.; Vitt, Dale A. (2007). Mosses Lichens & Ferns of Northwest North America. Auburn, WA: Lone Pine Publishing. ISBN 978-1-55105-569-5. Harris, W.P.; Harris, C.W. (1904). Lichens and Mosses of Montana, a list based on material collected during the summer of 1901, with additions. Missoula, MT: University of Montana. McCune, B.; Geiser, L. (2009). Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest: Second Edition, Revised and Expanded. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University Press.
See also
Ethnolichenology Lichenometry Lichenology Coniferous plants of Montana Monocotyledons of Montana
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