TYPE. “An erratischen Granitblöcken bei Stelleinen in Ostpreussen von Hrn. Ohlert gesammelt.” (Koerber 1865).

Description. Life form: lichenized fungus.

[Modified from Giovani et al. 2009] Thallus crustose, episubstratal, grayish white, granular-areolate; prothallus black. Vegetative diaspores absent. Photobiont chlorococcoid alga. Ascomata lecideine apothecia, sessile, 0.15-0.25(-0.35) mm diam., densely aggregated in circular heaps of up to 25; disk black, epruinose, flat; margin soon excluded. Epihymenium blue-green to greenish brown; hymenium 30-50 µm high, often pigmented as epihymenium; hypothecium dark red-brown. Paraphyses branched and occasionally anastomosed, the apices olivaceous and swollen to 5 µm wide. Asci 40-50 x 12-15 µm, 8-spored; ascospores simple, hyaline, ellipsoid, 10-20 × 4-6 µm. Pycnidia not seen.

Chemistry. Thallus UV-, K+ yellow, KC+ yellow, C-, PD+ weakly yellow; atranorin and unidentified substance.

Substrate and Habitat. Saxicolous on coarse siliceous rocks.

Distribution. Europe and North America; in North Carolina found in the Blue Ridge ecoregion.

Literature

Giavarini, V., B.J. Coppins & O.W. Purvis (2009). Miriquidica Hertel & Rambold (1987). Pp. 607-611 in Smith, C.W., A. Aptroot, B.J. Coppins, A. Fletcher, O.L. Gilbert, P.W. James & P.A. Wolseley (eds.). The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland. The British Lichen Society, London.

Koerber, G.W. (1865) Ergänzungen zum systema lichenum Germaniae. Parerga Lichenologica 3: 1-501 (original description as Lecidella pycnocarpa).