About Xanthoparmelia scabrosa (Taylor) Hale
Xanthoparmelia scabrosa is a foliose lichen, meaning its body (called a thallus) has a leaf-like appearance. Its upper surface is yellow-green, and its lower surface ranges from pale to dark brown. This lichen is common in Australia and New Zealand, and also grows on Norfolk Island, in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Argentina, South Africa, and Japan. In New Zealand, it grows abundantly on roads and footpaths, which are typically an inhospitable environment for most lichens. Xanthoparmelia scabrosa has been marketed as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, but many scientists do not recommend this use. While the lichen does contain a PDE5 inhibitor, a compound that can inhibit the enzyme linked to impotence, this same substance may be toxic on its own. Additionally, the lichen accumulates high levels of toxic heavy metals.
