Peltigera Lichens - Pelt Lichens

This morning I found several of these low growing pelt lichens in the Preserve.

Peltigera is a genus of approximately 100 species of foliose lichens in the family Peltigeraceae. Commonly known as the dog or pelt lichens, species of Peltigera are often terricolous (grow on the ground), but can also occur on moss, trees, rocks, and many other substrates in many parts of the world. Because of their ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, such lichens are influential in soil composition and generation. 

They are important for ecological succession - Ecological succession is the process of how species compositions change in an ecological community over time.

The generic name is derived from the Latin language pelta (small shield), and refers to the shield-shaped thallus (structures) in these species.