TYPE. “Ad corticem arboris in Richmond Valley in St. Vincent.” (Vainio 1896). SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES. Richmond Valley, Elliott 239 (TUR-V 5583, holotype).
Description.Life form: lichenized fungus.
[Modified from Lumbsch et al. 1996] Thallus crustose, epiphloedal, whitish gray to yellowish gray, verruculose to verrucose. Vegetative diaspores absent. Photobiont chlorococcoid alga. Ascomata lecanorine apothecia, sessile, 0.6-1.3 mm diam.; disk orangish brown, slightly gray pruinose, flat; thalline margin (amphithecium) prominent, entire, flexuose to verrucose. Amphithecium with small and large crystals; cortex distinct, dispersed gelatinous, 15-25 µm laterally, 20-70 µm basally. Epihymenium brown, with crystals, dissolving in K; hymenium hyaline; hypothecium yellowish brown in upper part, red-brown in lower part. Paraphyses not thickened apically. Asci 8-spored; ascospores simple, hyaline, ellipsoid, 11-14.5 × 6.5-9 µm. Pycnidia not seen.
Chemistry. Thallus K+ yellow; atranorin and 2’-O-methylperlatolic acid.
Substrate and Habitat. Corticolous.
Distribution. Neotropical north to coastal southeastern North America; in North Carolina found in the Coastal Plain ecoregion.
Literature
Lumbsch, H.T., R. Guderly & J.A. Elix. (1996) A revision of some species in Lecanora sensu stricto with a dark hypothecium (Lecanorales, Ascomycotina). The Bryologist99(3): 269-291.
Vainio, E.A. (1896) Lichenes Antillarum a W.R. Elliott collecti. Journal of Botany, British and Foreign 34: 31-36 (original description).