TYPE. UNITED STATES. CONNECTICUT, New London County, Lyme, 19.IX.1931, A.W. Evans 2625 (US, holotype).

Description. Lichenized fungus.

Thallus squamulose to dimorphic. Primary thallus squamulose; squamules strap-shaped, 5-20 x 1-3 mm; upper surface corticate, yellowish green; lower surface ecorticate, pale yellow to yellowish white. Podetia rare, 5-15 mm tall, sometimes branched, lacking cups. Podetial surface corticate, smooth. Photobiont trebouxioid alga. Ascomata biatorine apothecia, very rare, dark brown. Pycnidia infrequent, on squamules, 0.2 diam., subglobose; pycnidial jelly hyaline; conidia curved, 7-9 x 0.5 μm.

Chemistry. K-, KC+ gold, C-, PD-; usnic and barbatic acids.

Substrate and Habitat. On soil in grasslands and on rock outcrops, extending to subarid regions.

Distribution. Central and eastern North America, South America (Brazil, Chile, Uruguay); in North Carolina in Piedmont and Blue Ridge ecoregions. 

Literature

Ahti, T. (2002) Cladoniaceae. Flora Neotropica 78: 1-362.

Brodo, I.M., S. Duran Sharnoff & S. Sharnoff. (2001) Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven & London. 795 pp.

Evans, A.W. (1944) Supplementary Report on Cladoniae of Connecticut. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Science 35: 519-626 (original description).