TYPE. MEXICO. Tampico, July 1896, C.G. Pringle 408 (US, holoype; MICH, isotype).

Description. Life form: lichenized fungus.

Thallus crustose, continuous, smooth, 70-80 μm thick, corticate; vegetative diaspores absent. Cortex +/- cellular, 20-25 μm; photobiont trentepohlioid alga. Ascomata lirellae, short, scattered, immersed to emergent, simple or rarely branched, straight or wavy, 1-5 x 0.5-1 mm. Exipular labia white, crumbling; disk white-pruinose. Hymenium hyaline, ellipsoid or round in section, 125-250 μm high; few paraphyses apically ornamented. Ascospores often absent, hyaline or slightly brownish, muriform, 35-78 x 18-36 μm.

Chemistry. Three chemotypes recognized: 1) with constictic acid (K+ yellowish); 2) lacking substances; and 3) with salazinic acid (K+ red).

Substrate and Habitat. Corticolous on trees.

Distribution. Southeastern North America; in North Carolina found in the Coastal Plain ecoregion.

Literature

Tripp, E.A., J.C. Lendemer & R.C. Harris (2010) Resolving the genus Graphina Müll. Arg. in North America: new species, new combinations, and treatments for Acanthothecis, Carbacanthographis, and Diorygma. Lichenologist 42(1): 55-71.

Wirth, M. & M.E. Hale, Jr. (1963) The Lichen Family Graphidaceae in Mexico. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 36(3): 63-119 (original description as Graphina peplophora).