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

Thallus: crustose, warted to areolate, 75-115 µm thick prothallus: (dark) brown to black, sometimes visible along thallus margin and between warts areoles/verrucae: sometimes slightly constricted at the base to sometimes bullate, (0.1-)0.2-0.3(-0.5) mm in diam. upper surface: chestnut to olive-brown with a yellowish, reddish, or greenish tinge, smooth soredia: absent cortex: reddish-brown to greenish-brown to brown, 8-20 µm thick medulla: white; algal layer 60-100 µm thick Apothecia: black, single, sessile with a constricted base to slightly stalked, (0.5-)0.7-1.0(-1.2) mm in diam., sometimes with an umbo disc: black, concave when immature, finally ±plane to sometimes slightly convex margin: the upper part mostly concolorous with the disk, towards the base turning brown, distinct and persistent to somewhat immarginate when apothecia convex true exciple: distinct, black to brown or dark bluish or dark greenish (upper part; K+ green to turquoise when greenish or bluish) to brownish (lower part; K-), basally 90-250 µm thick, laterally 55-163 µm thick, composed of hyphae with slightly swollen apical cells, 3-5(-6) µm in diam. epihymenium: blackish blue to green, 13-25(-38) µm, K+ intensifying or yielding a turquoise-like reaction hymenium: hyaline to pale blue or pale green below the epihymenium, (40-)53-81(-100) µm tall, I+ blue, frequently with hyaline, plane crystals in squashed preparation, not dissolving in K paraphyses: simple or (strongly) branched, 1-1.5(-2.5) µm wide below, 4-7(-8) x 2-4(-5) µm wide apically subhymenium: hyaline to yellowish to pale brown, (18-)33-100(-138) µm thick hypothecium: brown to orange-brown, 50-104 µm thick asci: ±cylindrical, (55-)57-90(-100) x (7-)7.7-10(-12) µm, 8-spored ascospores: uniseriately arranged in the ascus, globose, hyaline, thin-walled, (5-)6-7.8(-10) µm in diam., sometimes containing purple granules (turning bright turquoise in K) Pycnidia: frequent, reddish brown to brown or blackish, round, convex, (50-)69-85(-100) µm in diam. conidia: bacilliform, 4-5(-7) x 0.75-1 µm Spot tests: K-, C-, KC-, P- or K(+) yellow, C-, KC-, P(+) yellow, often indistinct Secondary metabolites: cortex and medulla with no lichen substances, or faint traces of atranorin and a trace unknown ("cinereorufa unknown"). Substrate and ecology: on bark and wood of conifers, 840-3650 m in the Sonoran region World distribution: western North America Sonoran distribution: southern California and eastern Arizona (Gila County, 34°20'30'' N, 111°18'30'' W, Nash 42731, ASU). Notes: Schaereria dolodes is closely related to the holarctic, saxicolous S. cinereorufa (Schaer.) Th. Fr., but differs in its chemistry and habit (Schmull and Spribille 2005). Schaereria cinereorufa is known from alpine habitats in Colorado and might also occur in the very limited alpine areas of the Sonoran region, but it is not presently documented as occurring there. Only two bark species have so far been recognized in the genus. The other one, Schaereria corticola Muhr & Tønsb. is widespread in the Pacific Northwest and could possibly be expected in humid areas of the Sonoran region. It differs from all other described members of the genus in possessing small, punctiform soralia.