Magnusson, AH. 1939. Studies on Species of Lecanora, Mainly the Aspicilia gibbosa Group. Kongl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad. Handl. 17: 34-35.
Thallus uniform, +/- broadly expansive, ashy-grey or pale becoming yellow-ashy grey, continuous or subrimose, +/- distinctly limited, KOH-, hypothallus indistinct. Verrucae fertile, always crowded, thallus almost covered, depressed, cracks indistinctly separated, often +/- elongate, black, nude, depressed, verrucae surrounded by pale, obtuse, prominent margin. Hymenium tall, paraphyses not moniliform. Excipulum indistinct. Spores broadly ellipsoid.
The specimen seen 6 X 2 cm large, 0.5-0.7 mm thick, with still thicker, not distinctly radiate, circumference, C.U.C. 233-235, only few areolae sterile, smooth, slightly convex.—Cortex about 50 µ thick, quite gray without visible cells, upper 6-8 µ brownish, amorphous stratum indistinct. Cells 3-3.5 µ in KOH + HCl, hyphae +/- perpendicular. Gonidia 7-12 µ, stratum 50-60 µ, +/- transparent. Medulla quite gray, transparent in HCl, in H2SO4 with gipsy crystals, hyphae mainly perpendicular, +/- indistinct with badly seen outlines, containing much oil, especially below the apothecia.
Fertile areolae 0.5-1(1.3) mm large, discs 0.3-0.5(0.7) mm long, +/- narrow, none regular in shape, De 160-180, the margin of the areolae not darkened round the disc.—Apothecia about 200 µ deep. No distinct exciple, also not in iodine. Hypothecium about 50 µ, cloudy from oil, hyphae mainly perpendicular. Hymenium 120-140 µ high, I+ pale greenish-blue, upper 20-30 µ +/- olive. Paraphyses dense, +/- distinct in water, 1.5-1.7 µ thick, in KOH hardly moniliform, +/- branched, apices 3(-3.5) µ, uppermost cells broadly ellipsoid, downwards soon ellipsoid to oblong. Asci 85-100 X 25 µ, broadly clavate. Spores 8, 20-25 X 12-14 µ, broadly ellipsoid.
Pycnoconidia not found.
Habitat. On siliceous, slaty rock, HCl-.
Locality. Novaya Zemlya. Mashigin Fjord: Northern side of Blaafjell Basin 1921 LYNGE (O.) along a brook.
Both the appearance and the structure is so different from that of L. heteroplaca that L. vaginans must be separated from it specifically. The former has smaller spores, 16-17 X 9-10 µ, lower hymenium, 90-110 µ, a distinct exciple, I+ blue, and a partly ochraceous thallus with scattered apothecia.
Whether the specimen from Mt Syernaia, quoted by ZAHLBRUCKNER, also belongs here is impossible to tell as I have not examined it in detail. Stone HCl+.
Torne lappmark, Pässistjårrok 1919 VRANG (in hb. And hb. Mn.); Ortovare 1927 A. ZANDER (R.) Jämtland: Undersåker, Hosasen 1914 VRANG (R.).
v. evanescens
Thallus outline indistinct, radiate, towards centre +/- dissolute or pr. p. areoles evanescent.
Thallus dark- or brownish-gray, very thin or +/- disappearing, incoherent.
Torne lappmark: Jukkasjärvi, Jebrinjokk 1919 Mn (in hb.) at about 650 m, near the tree-limit; Njulja 1921 Mn (in hb.) at 900 m, in the alpine region.