Alpine Foam Lichen vs Variegated Foam Lichen

Stereocaulon alpinum compared with Stereocaulon vesuvianum

Key Differences

• Alpine Foam Lichen is Data Deficient while Variegated Foam Lichen is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Foam Lichen	Variegated Foam Lichen
Kingdom same	Fungi (Pilze)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum same	Ascomycota (Schlauchpilze)	Ascomycota (Schlauchpilze)
Class same	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order same	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)
Family same	Stereocaulaceae	Stereocaulaceae
Genus same	Stereocaulon	Stereocaulon
Species	Stereocaulon alpinum	Stereocaulon vesuvianum

Evolutionary Relationship

Alpine Foam Lichen and Variegated Foam Lichen share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Stereocaulon.

Conservation Status

Alpine Foam Lichen

DD — Data Deficient

Variegated Foam Lichen

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Foam Lichen	Variegated Foam Lichen
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Foam Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Variegated Foam Lichen

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Alpine Foam Lichen

The Alpine Foam Lichen (Stereocaulon alpinum) is a species in the genus Stereocaulon. Its conservation status is listed as Data Deficient, indicating insufficient data for assessment. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States