- Lobaria
Taxobox | name = "Lobaria"
image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Lobaria pulmonaria"
regnum =Fungi
divisio =Ascomycota
classis =Lecanoromycetes
ordo =Lecanorales
subordo =Peltigerineae
familia =Lobariaceae
genus = "Lobaria"
genus_authority = (Schreb.)Hoffm.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "Lobaria hallii "
"Lobaria linita "
"Lobaria pulmonaria "
"Lobaria ravenelii "
"Lobaria retigera "
"Lobaria scorbiculata ""Lobaria" is a genus of
lichen s commonly known as "lungwort" or "lung moss" because their physical shape somewhat resembles a lung. "Lobaria" species are unusual in that they have a three-partsymbiosis , containing afungus , analga and acyanobacterium , the presence of the cyanobacterium allowingnitrogen fixation . Their sensitivity to toxins makes them an excellent marker of ecosystem health, and they are often found in ecological climax communities such as theold growth forest s of northwestern North America.Under the
doctrine of signatures , "Lobaria pulmonaria" is sometimes used to treat respiratory infections, although there is no peer-reviewed data to support this.External links
* [http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/T135079.HTM Links to photos of various "Lobaria" spp]
* [http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/PrintablePages/herbMonograph/0,11475,4105,00.html Monograph on herbal uses of "lobaria"]
* [http://www.mcelroy.ca/bushlog/20031003.shtml A private naturalist's discussion of "Lobaria"]
* [http://www.lichen.com/bigpix/section.html Cross-section showing all three symbionts]
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