Niebla and Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae) from California and Baja California.  
Spjut, R.W., 1996. ISSN 0833-1475, 208 pp.  
Sida, Botanical Miscellany: 14. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Inc.

Vizcaíno Peninsula, road
 to Punta Eugenia, 
Spjut & Marin 10560
Apr 1989

Bahía de Santa María
Spjut & Marin 11377
Apr 1990

 W of Rancho San Andrés
~100 km N of Guerrero Negro, Spjut & Marin 9073
May 1985

W of Rancho San Andrés
~100 km N of Guerrero Negro, Spjut 9887A
May 1986

N. caespitosa x N. podetiaforma?
~100 km N of Guerrero Negro
 between Punta Prieta
and Punta Rocosa,on ridge, Spjut 9971, May 1986

Punta Canoas, lower steps
of mesa near the ocean, on
red pumice, Spjut 11230,
Apr 1990

N. caespitosa x N. marinii? Punta Canoas, lower steps
of mesa near the ocean, on
red pumice, Spjut 11231,
Apr 1990

Ridge N of Punta Rocosa, BCN
Spjut 10300, Mar 1988

Mesa W of Pico Santa Monica, Rancho San Francisco
de la Sierra, 325 m elev.
 Spjut & Marin 10921 Apr 1989

Santa Cruz Island
Bratt 2303

San Clemente Island
Santesson 18043, isotype (COLO)

Geographical Distribution

     Niebla caespitosa is a Pacific Coast lichen that is widely distributed from the southern California Channel Islands to the Vizcaíno Peninsula region of Baja California. It is identified by the lichen substance of divaricatic acid (with triterpenes), and by the thallus divided into small tufts of flattened branches.  The basal portion is usually short and narrow, generally blade-like. Above the base, the branches expand and ± digitately divide into shorter branchlets; the dilated parts of branches generally appear fringed and contorted due to a relatively thin cortex.  This is in contrast to the more rigid thallus of N. testudinaria with stiffly erect branchlets. 

     Niebla caespitosa is most common along the coastal mountains between Punta Rocosa and Punta Rosarito, and along  the rim of a mesa above the escarpment bordering the Vizcaíno Peninsula where occurring with Vermilacinia cedrosensis.  Near Rancho San Andrés it occurs with N. flabellata (salazinic acid) and N. flagelliforma (divaricatic acid).

     Niebla caespitosa may be confused with Niebla dilatata (divaricatic acid), which is distinguished by a larger thallus with rounded  marginal lobes (lobulate) instead of the lacerated margins seen in N. caespitosa.  The lobulate margins of N. dilatata are usually thicker and densely covered with undeveloped apothecia and pycnidia. Niebla flabellata  (salazinic acid) and N. spatulata (hypoprotocetraric acid), which have similar flattened lacerated branches, are easily distinguished by their lichen substances.

     Niebla caespitosa appears to intergrade with N. flagelliforma on the rock walls of a narrow arroyo near Rancho San André in the southern part of Baja California Norte, ~100 km north Guerrero Negro.  Niebla flagelliforma is generally distinguished by terminal flagelliform branchlets that have a thinner cortex than the lower primary branch. The cortex of N. caespitosa is more uniform in thickness in which the branchlets ± appear equally contorted throughout with less regularity to their shape.

     A putative hybrid indicated above for Spjut 11231 was collected on a step below a mesa northwest of Punta Canoas.  Niebla caespitosa generally has transversely oriented cortical ridging near apex, and while this putative hybrid has the apical longitudinal ridging associated with N. undulata, its branches are not particularly undulate along margins, nor do they show the flattened digitate branching of N. caespitosa.  It was collected in association with N. caespitosa (11230), N. flagelliforma (11232), N. infundibula (11229), N. siphonoloba (11226), N. marinii (11227, 11236), and N. effusa (11234).  The conspicuous and abundant dark pycnidia indicate affinities to N. marinii, which differs by having salazinic acid and whip-like branches.