[as 'bourgæana'], Bull. Soc. Linn. Normand., Sér. 2, 4, 2: 152 (1870)
Protolog: Data lacking.
Protolog type data: Spain, Canary Islands, Tenerife, in Convalle Almeida Decemb. 1845, Bourg. Pl. Canar. 1118 (BM - lecotype designated by Krog & Osthagen 1980: 264; PC - isolectotype). [TLC: salazinic acid, bourgeanic acid, pigment, triterpenoids].
Type locality: Spain, Canary Islands, Tenerife, in the side valley Almeida [today the cuarter Almeida in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife], December 1845, Bourg. Pl. Canar. 1118 (BM - lecotype, PC - isolectotype). Lectotypification by Krog & Osthagen (1980: 264).
Type locality coordinates: Data lacking.
Molecular barcode: Data lacking.
Thallus: fruticose, 1 - 14 cm long, rigid, ascending, rosette-forming or tufted, with few to several sparingly branched laciniae from a common holdfast. Laciniae 0.2 - 8 cm broad, cuneate, ellipsoid or irregularly spreading, upper side partly or wholly reticulately ridged or crackled, rarely mainly smooth with only a few pitted or weakly ridged areas, grey-yellow, brown-yellow, or grey-green, under side similar to upper side or with a different degree of reticulation, concolourous or pale brown to buff. Pseudocyphellae absent. Soralia absent. Cortex 50 - 60 µm thick, chondroid cylinder absent, medulla dense, with imbedded chonroid strands. Pycnidia marginal and laminal, with pale ostioles. Apothecia usually numerous, lateral, subapical, or apical, marginal and / or laminal, often present also on under side of laciniae, thalline exciple reticulate, disc up to 1.2 cm in diameter, concave or flat, often radially split, margin more or less crenate, spores 10 - 14 x 3,5 - 5 µm (Krog & Østhagen 1980: 264).
Photobiont: Data lacking.
Chemistry: Bourgaeanic acid (Huneck & Yoshimura 1996: 143).
Ecology: On silicious rock in dry habitats from near sea level to low mountains which are regularly influenced by sea mist (Krog & Østhagen 1980: 264).
Distribution Type: Old: "Canary Islands endemic. One of the most commonest lichens on lava rocks in the Canary Islands in dry, sunny, exposed habitats, especially in stony fields and on rock ledges near the coast. Possibly also in the south coast of Spain but these and records from Corsica may be Ramalina rosacea" (Krog & Østhagen 1980: 264). New: Considered as an endemic of the Canary Islands by Krog & Østhagen 1980: 264) but later proved to occur in the Western Mediterranean. Mentioned from Corse by Gonnet et al. (2017). "La mention ancienne de R. bourgeana en Corse (sans localité) par Jatta (1900), mention reprise par Harmand (1907), Maheu & Gillet (1914), Werner (1973), Ozenda & Clauzade (1970) et Clauzade et Roux (1985), est donc vraisemblable sinon confirmée (Gonnet et al. 2017).
Note: Spelling "Ramalina bourgeana Mont." in many sources, e.g. Huneck & Yoshimura (1996: 143).
Distribution Database: Distributions
Picture Database: Tropical Lichens
Molecular Database: Genbank
Synonym Database: Index Fungorum
Synonym Database: Mycobank
Race I: Salazinic acid, + bourgeanic acid, unknown pigment, triterpenoids (Krog & Osthagen 1980: 264 by TLC). Usnic acid in the cortex (stated here).
Race II: Bourgeanic acid, unknown pigment, triterpenoids (Krog & Osthagen 1980: 264). Usnic acid in the cortex (stated here).
Chemical race 1 is common, chemical race 2 is rare (Krog & Osthagen 1980: 264).