TYPE. VENEZUELA. Caracas, Ernst s.n. (G, lectotype designated by Archer 1997; US, isolectotype).

Description. Life form: lichenized fungus.

Thallus crustose, dull pale gray, continuous; surface wrinkled, rimose. Vegetative diaspores absent. Photobiont chlorococcoid alga. Ascomata disciform apothecia, numerous and crowded, sessile, 0.4-0.8 mm diam., disk coarsely white pruinose, appearing as soralia. Asci clavate, sometimes curved, 125-150 x 35-60 μm, 1-spored; ascospores uncommon, simple, hyaline, ellipsoid, 100-135 x 35-50 μm, walls smooth, ~1 μm thick.

Chemistry. UV+ bright yellow, K+ yellow, KC-, C-, medulla and pruina PD+ yellow or orange; lichexanthone and haemathamnolic acid detected by TLC.

Substrate and Habitat. Corticolous.

Distribution. Australia, North and South America; in North Carolina found throughout.

Literature

Archer, A.W. (1991) New species and new reports of Pertusaria (lichenised Ascomycotina) from Australia and New Zealand with a key to the species in Australia. Mycotaxon 41(1): 223-269.

Lendemer, J.C. & R.C. Harris (2017) Nomenclatural changes for North American members of the Variolaria-group necessitated by the recognition of Lepra (Pertusariales). The Bryologist 120(2): 182-189.

Müller, J. (1884) Lichenologische Beiträge XIX. Flora (Regensburg) 67(14): 268-274 (original description as Pertusaria commutata).