Lynge B 1928. Lichens from Novaya Zemlya. In Holtedahl O. Report of the Scientific Results of the Norwegian Expedition to Novaya Zemlya 1921. Oslo. 1-299.
Apothecia sparse and dispersed, immersed in furfuraceous thallus, small, diam. 0.3-0.5 mm. Disc dark, almost grayish-brown black, convex, epruinose, smooth, crenate margin or subfurfuraceous-crowned. Excipulum carbonized, gonidia completely absent. Hypothecium concolourous with excipulum. Hymenium 90-95 µ tall. Paraphyses apices becoming grayish-brown-black, clavate-or thick-capitated (3 µ), and then distinctly septate. Asci saccate, upper membrane moderately thick. Spores 8, dark brown/grayish-brown, moderately pellucid, 2-celled slightly to septum, but distinctly constricted or rarely not constricted; septum and epispore thin, epispore 1 µ thick, unequally thick. Spore apices broadly rounded, 13-16.5 X 8-10 µ.
Pycnidia vainly sought.
Medulla J not blue, KOH ÷; hymenium J blue-wine, asci almost persistently blue.
Unfortunately only one plant was collected. Most probably it is related to Buellia coniops, but no pycnides were detected. It differs from that species by its furfuraceous surface.
There are several microthalli surrounding the large thallus. They have evidently been developed from germinating diaspores. Most probably the large continuous thallus has been formed by such confluent microthalli.
The name Buellia avium suggests it to be a highly coprophilous plant, it was found in the rookery, with Physcia tribacia and Ph. caesia, and infested by Acarides (det. H. LINDBERG).