Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2004. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 2.

Hyphal strands: absent Ascomata: superficial, black, initially closely appressed to the host thallus, later elevated and sometimes with a slightly constricted base, scattered or loosely aggregated, cushion-like, usually rounded, convex to flat, 70-120 µm in diam., 30-40 µm tall internal structure: wall of the external cells: dark brown, with a granular pigment, hyaline in the internal ones, cells 4-8 µm in diam. centrum: I- asci: subglobose or broadly ovate, 20-25 x 13-18 µm, 4-8-spored ascospores: initially hyaline but later brown, 1-septate, slightly constricted at the septum, obovate, halonate, 9-12 x 4-6 µm; wall: with a finely granular surface. Hosts: on Usnea in the Sonoran region, also known on thalli of foliose and fruticose lichens (e.g., Alectoria, Evernia, Letharia, Pseudevernia, Ramalina) World distribution: widespread, Northern and Southern Hemispheres Sonoran distribution: Arizona and southern California. Notes: Lichenostigma maureri belongs to subgenus Lichenostigma, with rounded ascomata not connected to dark superficial hyphal strands. A further species of the subgenus is L. rugosa, but in that taxon ascospore ornamentation is more coarse, and it occurs on Diploschistes species. Lichenostigma lecanorae has larger ascomata and ascospores, verrucose ascospores, and is restricted to Lecanora.

Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2004. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 2.

Ascomata: unknown Conidiomata: superficial, arising singly or irregularly confluent, stromatic, black, convex, basally constricted, immarginate, mostly 50-75 µm in diam., composed of hyaline, globose, thick-walled cells up to 8 µm in diam., becoming brown towards the edge, stroma surrounded by a brown pellicle-like layer iophores: indistinguishable from the hyaline, subspherical cells of the stroma conidiogenous cells: hyaline to pale brown, subcylindrical, 2-3 µm in diam., 2.5-4 µm long, located within the stroma, at first producing apically c. 2-3 pale brown, small, subspherical cells; during maturation, these cells become more numerous, up to 12 or more, larger, 4-6 µm in diam., and dark brown conidia: consisting of the initial conidiogenous cells surrounded by the brown subspherical cells, forming a compact, multicellular, dark brown, ellipsoid aggregate, 15-25 µm in diam.; individual cells: 4-6 µm in diam. Hosts: on the thallus of epiphytic, mainly fruticose macro-lichens (Bryoria, Evernia, Flavoparmelia, Letharia, Lethariella, Parmeliopsis, Pseudevernia, Ramalina, Usnea); in the Sonoran region known from Ramalina and Usnea World distribution: cosmopolitan Sonoran distribution: Arizona and southern California. Notes: Phaeosporobolus usneae looks very similar to Lichenostigma maureri, known to occur on the same host spectrum, and can hardly be distinguished macroscopically. Microscopical examination of squash preparations is therefore always required for an accurate identification.