TYPE. SPAIN. NAVARRA. Atallo, aliseda en parque, entrando por la minicentral eléctrica, on Sambucus nigra, 26.XI.1997, J. Etayo 14194 (MA, holotype; hb. Etayo, isotype).
Description. Lichenized fungus.
Thallus crustose, not clearly delimited, thin and pale greenish; prothallus absent or indisctinct. Vegetative diaspores blackish soredia in rounded to irregular blackish soralia, scattered to aggregated, sometimes becoming confluent. Soredia globose, farinose, 12-20 µm diam., composed of clusters of algal cells surrounded by short-celled hyphae, the exposed outer hyphae with dark brown pigment, K-, N-. Photobiont chlorococcoid alga; cells globose, 7-13 µm diam. Ascomata lecideine apothecia, rare, sessile, up to 0.4 mm diam.; disk black, plane to slightly convex, epruinose; margin thin, persistent, slightly paler than the disk. Exciple mostly hyaline and inspersed with oil droplets, the upper, outer edge brown with dark-capped hyphae; epithecium hyaline, appearing dark brown due to pigmented paraphysal tips; hymenium hyaline, inspersed with oil droplets; paraphyses capitate with dark brown caps; hypothecium hyaline to light brown. Asci clavate to cylindrical, 8-spored, 25-32.5 x 6.5-11.0 µm. Ascospores hyaline, 2-celled, 10-12 x 3-3.5 µm, lacking a perispore. Pycnidia not known.
Chemistry. Spot tests negative; secondary substances not detected by TLC.
Substrate and Habitat. Corticolous on smooth bark of young hardwood trees.
Distribution. Eruope and North America; in North Carolina found in the Blue Ridge ecoregion.
Literature
Curtis, T. & J.C. Lendemer. (2022) Catillaria fungoides (Catillariaceae; Lecanoromycetes) an Inconspicuous Crustose Lichen Previously Overlooked in Eastern North America. Castanea87(1): 12-19.
Malíček, J., Palice, Z. & Vondrák, J. (2014) New lichen records and rediscoveries from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Herzogia27: 257–284.
van den Boom, P.P.G. and J. Etayo. (2001) Two new sorediate species of lichens in the Catillariaceae from the Iberian Peninsula. Lichenologist33: 103–110 (original description).