TYPE. “Habitat in Amer. Septrentr. Muscos incrustans.” (Acharius 1814).

Description. Life form: lichenized fungus.                                     

Thallus crustose, thin, whitish grayish or greenish gray, granular. Surface continuous, smooth to minute rugose. Vegetative diaspores isidia and soredia; isidia numerous, short, papillate to coralloid-branched, (0.2-)0.4(-0.8) x (0.1-)0.15(-0.2) mm, rarely eroding to form few, widely dispersed granular-sorediate soralia, (0.4-)0.6(-1.8) mm diam. Ascomata pertursaroid apothecia (in thalline warts); fertile warts rare and scattered, few in groups of 2-3(-5), (0.6-)1.2(-1.8) mm diam.; ostiole 1-2(-5) per fertile wart, depressed or level, black or dark brown, often surrounded by a pale border. Apothecia 1-2(-5) per fertile wart, (0.42-)0.57(-0.74) mm diam.; epithecium reddish brown to blackish; hymenium hyaline to whitish; hypothecium hyaline, rarely pallid. Asci cylindrical, (38-)58(-77) x (234-)315(-404) μm; ascospores 2-4 per ascus, uniseriate, oblique and longitudinal in ascus, ellipsoid to fusiform, (22-)41(-57) x (53-)92(-138) μm; outer spore wall (1-)3(-7) μm, inner spore wall (2-)7(-16) μm thick, smooth, unzoned; end wall (8-)14(-19) μm thick. Conidiomata not known.

Chemistry. Spot tests negative; 2,7-dichlorolichexanthone and 2'-O-methylperlatolic acid.

Substrate and habitat. Muscicolous, covering the substrate and taking its form, over rocks, soil or tree trunks.

Distribution. Eastern North America; in North Carolina found in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge ecoregions.

Literature

Acharius, E. (1814) Synopsis Methodica Lichenum. Lund. 392 pp (original description as Porina globularis).

Dibben, M.J. (1980) The Chemosystematics of the Lichen Genus Pertusaria in North America North of Mexico. Publications in Biology and Geology No. 5, Milwaukee Public Museum Press, Milwaukee. 162 pp.