Melanohalea halei
species of fungus
Melanohalea halei is a species of foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. The species was first described in 1966 by the Finnish lichenologist Teuvo Ahti from specimens in eastern North America that had previously been misidentified as Melanohalea olivacea. It is distinguished from similar brown foliose lichens by its yellowish- to greenish-brown colour, a thallus that lies closely against the bark and develops tiny side lobes toward the center, and a medulla that reacts K+ (yellow0 and P+ (red) in standard chemical spot tests. The lichen typically forms roundish patches about 10 cm (4 in) across on tree bark and produces distinctive reddish-brown, cup-shaped fruiting bodies (apothecia) that are usually present on older specimens. Originally known only from the Appalachian region and temperate hardwood forests of eastern North America—where it grows mainly on deciduous trees such as oak, maple, and beech—the species has more recently been recorded from Ontario's Great Lakes region and from mountain forests in Xinjiang, China.
Taxonomy
In 1966, Teuvo Ahti described this lichen as a new species under the name Parmelia halei, based on North American material that had long been filed under Parmelia olivacea. The type specimen was collected in 1893 at St. Francis in Aroostook County, Maine, and was distributed in the exsiccata series Lich. Bor-Amer. as "Parmelia olivacea".
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Melanohalea halei” as species of fungus. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of fungus. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 13, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q10580434. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1966 and 1893.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Melanohalea halei”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Melanohalea halei primary sources, Melanohalea halei archive and Melanohalea research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Melanohalea halei”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Melanohalea halei” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.