Symbiosis of 2 organisms, one of which belongs to the group of fungi, the other to terrestrial algae. The body is called the thallus, consists of leathery-cartilaginous, narrow, branched, grooved, bare lobes of a greenish-gray color on the side facing the light.
The most famous lichens of the “center-ria” group are Icelandic centra, or Icelandic moss, tenuifolia and levigata centra, which are found throughout the north.
It grows in the steppe zone on rocky, sandy places. Medicinal raw material is the thallus, which is harvested in late April – May. Dried raw materials have almost no smell, the taste is bitter, somewhat burning, with a feeling of sliminess. With long-term storage, up to 3-4 years, the activity does not decrease.
In folk medicine, parmelia is used to treat cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases (pulmonary tuberculosis) in the form of a decoction with milk; the Ural Cossacks use it as a fast-acting hemostatic agent, especially for wounds.
See Centria for more details.