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: subfruticose, elongate lobed, lobes 0.5-5 mm long, 0.2-0.4 mm wide; prothallus: absent surface: orange, smooth, without asexual propagules cortex: adglutinate hyphae, moderate thickness, 20-70 µm; medulla dense Apothecia: adnate, 0.5-2 mm in diam., lecanorine disc: orange, flat, epruinose margin: persistent, flush; thalline margin present, concolorous with thallus; proper margin visible, concolorous with disc parathecium: consisting of radiating hyphae; exciple below hypothecium prosoplectenchymatous epihymenium: golden, K+ red, H-, 10%N-, cN-, C- hymenium: hyaline, 70-85 µm tall paraphyses: 2-3 tip cells slightly swollen, with few branches; subhymenium: hyaline asci: cylindrical, 8-spored ascospores: hyaline, 2 locules, ellipsoid, 11-14 µm x c. 5.5 µm, isthmus c. 1.5 µm, spore end wall thin Pycnidia: present, mostly immersed, ostiole orange Spot tests: apothecial margin K+ red, 10% N-, cN-; thallus K+ red, 10%N-, cN-, C-; medulla IKI- Secondary metabolites: parietin, fallacinal, emodin, teloschistin, and parietinic acid. Substrate and ecology: on non-calcareous rocks above the intertidal zone World distribution: western North America Sonoran distribution: coastal areas of southern California and Baja California. Notes: Caloplaca coralloides is similar to C. thamnodes but C. coralloides is usually more yellow-orange and has finer branches that are somewhat knobby while C. thamnodes is more orange and has coarser branches and the lobes lack knobby outgrowths.