Collema nigrescens

Collema nigrescens is a leafy (foliose) jelly lichen (Collema genus) found growing on the bark of trees such as bigleaf maples, in wetter coastal parts of California.[1]^: 34, 36 It is commonly called button jelly lichen or bat's wing lichen.[1]^: 34, 36 It is blackish-green when wet, and dark brownish-green to dark olive when dry.[1]^: 34, 36 The photosynthetic partner is the Nostoc cyanobacterium that is spread throughout the thallus (main body part).[1]^: 34, 36 Although foliose in form, like all jelly lichens, the thallus is not differentiated, lacking layers or an upper or lower cortex (lichen) and the cyanobacteria is spread throughout the thallus.[1]^: 34, 36 It has dark purple-brown apothecia all over.[1]^: 34, 36 It produces no reaction to lichen spot tests.[1]^: 34, 36

Collema nigrescens
in Northwestern California
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Lecanoromycetes
Order:	Peltigerales
Family:	Collemataceae
Genus:	Collema
Species:	C. nigrescens
Binomial name
Collema nigrescens (Huds.) DC. (1805)
Synonyms
Lichen nigrescens Huds. (1762)