Argüello et al. (2007) found that Parmelina quercina, as circumscribed by Hale (1976), comprised four phylogenetic species which could also be distinguished by morphological features and also had different distributions: P. carporrhizans (usually rhizinate apothecia, and distinct effigurate maculae; oceanic Europe and Macaronesia), P. coleae (usually rhizinate apothecia, narrow ascospores, and fenestrate maculae; North America), P. elixia (non-rhizinate apothecia, larger ascospores, smaller conidia, and not or faintly maculate; Australia), and P. quercina (apothecia rhizinate or not, and less distinct more rounded maculae; continental Europe).