Common Antler Lichen

<em>Pseudevernia consocians</em>, commonly known as Common Antler Lichen, is a foliose or fruticose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. This species has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN and occurs in countries including Norway and the United States. As a lichen, Common Antler Lichen represents a symbiotic association between a fungal partner (mycobiont) and one or more photosynthetic partners (photobiont), typically green algae or cyanobacteria. It typically grows on the bark of trees or on rocky substrates in temperate and boreal environments, often in well-lit forest edges or open woodland habitats. The branching, antler-like thallus gives the species its evocative common name. Like many lichens, it is often sensitive to air quality and may serve as a bioindicator of environmental health, being negatively affected by elevated levels of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide pollution. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.