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

Life habit: lichenized Thallus: squamulose, subsquamulose, without elongated lobes; prothallus: absent surface: blue-gray, smooth, without asexual propagules cortex: cellular, thickness moderate Apothecia: adnate, 0.5-1.5 mm in diam., lecanorine disc: brown, flat, epruinose margin: persistent, flush; thalline margin present, concolorous with thallus; proper margin not visible parathecium: cellular (paraplectenchymatous); exciple below hypothecium amorphous or cellular (paraplectenchymatous) epihymenium: brown or light brown, K+ violet, H+ violet, 10%N + violet, cN+ violet, C+ violet hymenium: hyaline, 70116 µm tall paraphyses: 1-3 tip cells slightly swollen, not branched or with few branches; subhymenium hyaline asci: cylindrical, 8-spored ascospores: hyaline, 2 locules, ellipsoid, 14-17 x 7-8.5 µm, isthmus 3-4 µm, spore end wall thin Pycnidia: not observed Spot tests: apothecial margin K+ violet, H+ violet, 10% N+ violet, cN+ violet, C+ violet; thallus K+ violet, H+ violet, 10%N+ violet, cN+ violet, C+ violet Secondary metabolites: thalloidima green. Substrate and ecology: on non-calcareous rocks World distribution: western North America Sonoran distribution: southern California, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. Notes: Caloplaca peliophylla has is characterized by the subsquamulose thallus with shiny brown apothecia. It might be mistaken for a subsquamulose Lecanora until the spores are studied. It is close to some forms of C. atroalba and C. albovariegata but the thallus of C. peliophylla is never light gray or lightly pruinose.