Textured Rocktripe Lichen

Umbilicaria leiocarpa is predominantly found in the alpine regions of Fennoscandia, although its presence extends across Europe. In Fennoscandia, it is largely found in similar locales to Umbilicaria rigida, albeit it is absent from northern Lapland and adjacent parts of Norway—a notable exception given the abundant U. rigida specimens from those areas. Its European distribution includes populations in the Alps, as well as occurrences in the Carpathians and the Pyrenees. It is also found in Scotland and Japan. In Nepal, U. leiocarpa has been reported at 5,150 m elevation in a compilation of published records; this reported range lies above the tree line used in the study. In northern Europe, the species tends to inhabit elevations up to around 2,000 m (6,600 ft), primarily in alpine conditions, but it has also been found at sea level, suggesting a wide ecological amplitude. This distribution pattern supports the hypothesis that U. leiocarpa could have survived the last ice age in refugia in Southern Norway, from where it may have spread along the Scandinavian mountain chain to its current locations. The species shows a distinct preference for siliceous rock substrates. Although it has been historically been reported to occur in the Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia), those records are now considered dubious and thought to refer to other species.

== References ==