USNEA – APOTHECIUM

Usnea is a fruticose lichen. It has a

cylindrical to ribbon-like and much branched
thallus. It is attached to the trunks of trees
by rhizoid-like outgrowths, called rhizines.
The plant grows erect or pendent with a
main branch, bearing many lateral
branches. The colour of the thallus is grey,
green or greenish yellow. Several
conspicuous bristles or fibrils cover the
thallus. The lateral branches terminally bear
large, plate- like apothecia. Their margin is
fringed with bristle-like outgrowths that
may be simple or branched.
Structure of the apothecium

The fruiting body of Usnea is called

apothecium .It is produced by sexual
reproduction. The surrounding
vegetative hyphae also actively take
part in the formaton of apothecium.
Apothecium is a saucer-shaped
structure produced on a long stalk. Each
apothecium contains a large number of
asci, produced from the ascogenous
hyphae. These asci are found
intermingled with many paraphyses.
Each asci contains eight ascospores.
The asci and paraphyses are closely
packed to form a continuous fertile
layer,called the hymenial layer or
hymenium it is also known as
thecium. Beneath the hymenium is a
region consisting of dense mass of
sterile tissue called subhymenium. It
consists of closely packed and
interwoven hyphae. Below the
subhymenium,is the hypothecium
that forms the main body of
Apothecium.
 Hypothecium contains loosely
arranged hyphae internally, and
compactly arranged peridium
externally. The outer part of the
peridium contains several simple or
branched bristle like outgrowths.

When the apothecium matures, the

ascospores are liberated. They are very
light and are carried by wind. They
germinate to form new hyphae. Those
hyphae, coming in contact with suitable
algal cells, develop to new Usnea thalli.
 Thankyou!!

Varada.K.Das
Bsc Zoology