| Roccella tinctoria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Roccella tinctoria. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Arthoniomycetes |
| Order: | Arthoniales |
| Family: | Roccellaceae |
| Genus: | Roccella |
| Species: | R. tinctoria |
| Binomial name | |
| Roccella tinctoria | |
Roccella tinctoria is a lichenisedspecies offungus in the genusRoccella,homotypic synonym ofLecanora tinctoria (DC.) Czerwiak., 1849. It was first described byAugustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1805. It has the followingvarieties:
andformae:
It is used to makelitmus, a mixture of several organic compounds.
Lichen has been used for centuries to make dyes.[1] This includes royal purple colors derived fromRoccella tinctoria, also known asorseille.[2] The process of making this dye was a secret and lead to the wealth of the weavers ofGrainville-la-Teinturière and the Rucellai family of Florence, whose family name is related with the Latin name of the lichen,oricellum.[3] There has been speculation that the abundance ofR. tinctoria on theCanary Islands offered a profit motive forJean de Béthencourt during his conquest of the islands.[citation needed]
Orcinol, a natural phenolic organic compound, occurs in many species oflichens[4] includingR. tinctoria.[1]
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