Caloplaca
Encyclopedia
Caloplaca is a lichen
genus, composed of a number of distinct species. The distribution of this lichen genus is world wide, extending from Antarctica to the high Arctic
. It includes a portion of northern North America
and the Russian High Arctic. There are about thirty species of Caloplaca in the flora of the British Isles
. An example species in this genus is Caloplaca saxicola
, a lichen with worldwide distribution including the Antarctic continent, Europe, northern North America
including the northern reaches of the Canadian Boreal forests.
A new species of Caloplaca, C. obamae
, the first species to be named in honor of Barack Obama
, was discovered in 2007 on Santa Rosa Island
in California
and published in March 2009.
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
genus, composed of a number of distinct species. The distribution of this lichen genus is world wide, extending from Antarctica to the high Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
. It includes a portion of northern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and the Russian High Arctic. There are about thirty species of Caloplaca in the flora of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. An example species in this genus is Caloplaca saxicola
Caloplaca saxicola
Caloplaca saxicola is a lichen species, with the common name of Jewel lichen or Rock jewel lichen. This lichen occurs over a portion of northern North America. A specific example occurrence is within the northern reaches of the Canadian Boreal forests, where Black Spruce is a dominant...
, a lichen with worldwide distribution including the Antarctic continent, Europe, northern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
including the northern reaches of the Canadian Boreal forests.
A new species of Caloplaca, C. obamae
Caloplaca obamae
Caloplaca obamae is a species of lichen in the fungus genus Caloplaca. It is the first species to be named in honor of United States President Barack Obama. C. obamae was discovered in 2007 by Kerry Knudsen on Santa Rosa Island in California and published in March 2009...
, the first species to be named in honor of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, was discovered in 2007 on Santa Rosa Island
Santa Rosa Island, California
Santa Rosa Island is the second largest of the Channel Islands of California at 53,195 acres . Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block 3009, Block Group 3, Census Tract 29.10 of Santa Barbara County, California, the 2000 census showed an official population of 2 persons. It is part of...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and published in March 2009.