Canoparmelia cassa

Canoparmelia cassa is a species of foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. This species is characteristic by the occurrence of isidia together with fatty acids. It is similar externally to Canoparmelia amazonica. Its epithet cassa is derived from the Latin cassus, meaning "devoid", due to this species' lack of medullar reactive substances.

Description
It possesses a whitish-green thallus that measures 8 cm wide, its lobes measuring between 1 and 2 mm wide. Its surface is continuous, laterally overlapping and adnate, being dichotomously ramified. The species' axillary sinus is oval, it counts with rounded apices, and a black-lined margin with no cilia. It shows no lacinules while possessing laminal maculae.

Its isidia are also laminal and cylindrical, being between 0.2 and 0.6 mm high. Its medulla is white, while its underside possesses a rugose, veined and papillate margin. Its central surface is black and also papillate. Its rhizines are dimorphic, measuring between 0.1 to 0.4 mm long, being coloured black and with a frequent distribution. Apothecia and pycnidia are absent in Canoparmelia cassa.

Habitat
This species was first found in the Parque Natural do Caraça, in Minas Gerais, at an altitude of 1330 m on a tree in a light forest.