TYPE. CANADA. [QUEBEC], ‘‘ad cortices prope Montreal,’’ 1874, D.A.P. Watt s.n. (GLAM, holotype; BM, isotype).

Description. Lichenized fungus.

Thallus crustose, continuous to rimose-areolate, thin, grayish; photobiont chlorococcoid algae; vegetative diaspores absent; prothallus not seen. Ascomata lecanorine apothecia, sessile, 0.6-2.0 mm diam. Disk flat to convex, flesh-colored to orange-brown, whitish-gray pruinose; margin prominent, concolorous with thallus. Amphithecium 35-105 μm thick, containing pseudocortex, small crystals throughout; epithecium gray-brown, granular with small crystals, 10-15 μm tall; hymenium hyaline, 55-95 μm high. Asci clavate, 8-spored. Ascospores hyaline, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, simple, 9-15 x 5-9.5 μm.

Chemistry. Spot tests K+ yellow turning red, apothecial sections PD+ red-orange, disks C+ orange; secondary metabolites atranorin, protocetraric acid, norstictic acid, sordidone.

Substrate and Habitat. On hardwood bark in forests.

Distribution. Endemic to eastern North America; in North Carolina common throughout.

Notes. Lecanora protervula has undergone multiple name changes, but is characteristic in having pale pruinose apothecia and distinctive chemistry.  It has been assessed by the IUCN as of Least Concern (Lendemer 2022)

Literature

Brodo, I.M., M. Haldeman and J. Malíček. (2019) Notes on species of the Lecanora albella group (Lecanoraceae) from North America and Europe. The Bryologist 122: 430-450.

Lendemer, J. (2022) Lecanora protervula. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T180096952A180097001. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T180096952A180097001.en .Accessed on 31 July 2022.

Lumbsch, H. T., M. Plumper, R. Guderley & G. B. Feige. (1997) The corticolous species of Lecanora sensu stricto with pruinose apothecial disks. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis (Symbolae Botanicae Upsaliensis) 32: 131–162 (description as Lecanora subpallens).

Stirton, J. (1876) Lichens British and foreign. Transactions of the Glasgow Society of Field Naturalists 4: 85–95 (original description).

DOWNLOAD full IUCN Assessment as PDF

Find out more about the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria here.