Ramalina canariensis J. Steiner

    Thallus tufted, to 3-4 cm tall, little ramified, branches strap-shaped, palmate and lacerate, flexible, 3-8 mm wide, larger towards the base, and a little costulated or folded especially longitudinally by minute ribs, medulla cottony and sometimes hollow in old specimen, cortex cartilaginous, very pale green, grey-greenish, quite numerous soralies resulting from small internal vesicles or lacerations opening like lips, especially at the margin of the lobes in the subterminal or terminal parts. Apothecia very rare (but see Ramalina canariensis forme fertile). Ascospores slightly kidney-shaped, 1-septate 15-21 x 5-7 µm. Photobiont: Trebouxioid. C-, K-, KC-, Pd-. UV +/- white-bluish. Rather rare, on sheltered rocks near the seashore and more frequently on bark of trees. Species very variable to be distinguished from more common species like Ramalina lacera whose branches are not hollow, thinner and reticulated with laminal and terminal soralia not developing from the internal part of the lobes (but there are luxuriant intermediates " embarrassing ") and Ramalina pollinaria much more yellowish or ivory, whose branches are more or less covered with small nodules and more soredate.