Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2007. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 3.

Habit: lichenicolous Thallus: only present as a lecanorine margin on apothecia and as disorganized hyphae within the host Apothecia: lecanorine, rounded to angular, 0.5-1.3(-1.6) mm wide disc: yellow, plane or slightly convex; margin: white to pale gray, often indistinct (hence the name), often limited to the lower side of the apothecia, with a pseudocortex exciple: ±distinct, composed of radiating hyphae and consisting of ±rectangular cells epihymenium: reddish yellow to yellow-brown hymenium: hyaline, 65-80 µm tall; paraphyses: mostly simple but sometimes branched apically, 2-2.5 µm wide medially, with tips expanded to 6 µm wide asci: clavate, 46-62 x 16-18 µm, 8-spored ascospores: hyaline, simple to rarely 1-septate, ellipsoid to subglobose, straight, (9-)10-13 x (5.5-)6-7(-8) µm Pycnidia: not observed Spot tests: K+ pale red, KC-, C- Secondary metabolites: calycin, pulvinic acid lactone, and vulpinic and pulvinic acids. Substrate and ecology: on Aspicilia or pyrenocarpous lichens over acidic or calcareous rocks in open habitats World distribution: western North America (Nevada and Utah) Sonoran distribution: not currently known but expected at least in northern Arizona. Notes: The lack of a yellow thallus and lichenicolous habit are quite distinctive within Candelariella. The only other lichenicolous species, C. lichenicola (Vol. II, p. 51), grows on Candelina submexicana and has biatorine apothecia in contrast to the lecanorine apothecia of C. immarginata.