Cooper, Geoffrey; Carroll, George C. 1978. Ribitol as a major component of water-soluble leachates from Lobaria oregana. The Bryologist. 81(4): 568-572.
Leachates from Lobaria oregana (Tuck.) Mull. Arg. were pro-duced in the laboratory by misting thalli with rainwater. The leachate wasseparated into four fractions: a non-dialysable residue (10-15% of the total)containing protein, polysaccharide and probable polyphenolic materials; adialysable acid-insoluble fraction thought to be tannin; an acid-insoluble,acetone-insoluble inorganic fraction composed largely of sodium, potassium,calcium and magnesium cations; and an organic fraction soluble in bothaqueous acid and acetone consisting mainly of ribitol. Lobaria is presumedto constitute a major pool for polyols found in throughfall from the coniferousstands under study; as such, this lichen may be an important energy sourcefor heterotrophic canopy microorganisms which subsist on leachates.