TYPE. ANGOLA. Loanda, prope Boa Vista et Maianga do Povo, ad ramulos fruticum Balsamodenddron, in collinis aridis maritimis, II.1854, C. Welwitsch 186 (TUR-VAIN 265116, lectotype).
Life form. Lichenized fungus.
Description.Thallus crustose, thin, continuous; surface effuse, yellowish to greenish, rarely whitish; prothallus dark brown. Vegetative diaspores absent. Photobiont trentepohlioid alga. Ascomata lecideine apothecia, scattered, sessile, 0.2-0.6 μm diam.; disk black, flat to slightly convex, yellow-pruinose becoming epruinose at maturity; margin black, smooth or dentate. Hymenium hyaline, I+ blue or reddish, 70-85 μm tall; subhymenium hyaline to pale brown, 20-25 thick, I+ blue or reddish. Paraphysoids to 2 μm thick, swelling at apex to 3-4 μm with distinct brown cap. Asci 45-55 x 13-17 μm, 8-spored; ascospores hyaline, oblong-fusiform to fusiform, 15-22(-24) x 4-5 μm. Conidiomata pycnidia, immersed or subimmersed in thallus, 140-160 μm high x 110-130 μm diam.; conidia 3-5 x 1.2-1.5 μm, straight.
Chemistry. Not reported.
Substrate and habitat. Corticolous on trees in low moist forests.
Distribution. Pantropical; in North Carolina found throughout.
Literature
Egea J.M. & P. Torrente (1993) Cresponea, a new genus of lichenized fungi in the order Arthoniales (Ascomycotina). Mycotaxon 48: 301-331.
Hiern, W.P. & A.B. Rendle (1901) Catalogue of the African plants collected by Dr. Friedrich Welwitsch in 1853-612(2): 261-565 (original description as Lecanactis flava).