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Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: GNR

State Rank: S3S4

Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: No

SWAP 2015 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes

2025 SGCN Priority Tier: Moderate Conservation Concern

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Dry granitic outcrops

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Description

Satiny bronze scales, irregularly shaped, often crowded, surfaces smooth or sometimes fissured like brain cortex; brown apothecia dark orange when wet; FIELD ID: bronzy scales sometimes wrinkled, occasionally with orange or brown disks at center; sometimes foraged by mollusks, showing as white dots on Piedmont granitic rock

Similar Species

None

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Dry outcrops, on granite & granitic gneiss

Life History

Saxicolous lichenized fungus; photobiont a green chlorococcoid alga; can cover significant portions of some occupied outcrops (e.g., Heggie’s Rock), preferring convex parts of pavement, leaving wetter concavities to Peltula cylindrica

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Piedmont

Threats

Quarrying; vandalism

Georgia Conservation Status

Uncommon to abundant on many Ga. & S.C. Piedmont granitic outcrops, it is likely that the preponderance of the species’ range lies in Ga. Thus, Ga. is largely responsible for its conservation. The species should be looked for on Ala. and N.C. Piedmont outcrops (it occurs sparsely at Camp Meeting Rock, Heard Co., Ga., near the Ala. border). Several occurrences in Ga. are protected, including Heggie’s Rock, Eatonton Outcrop, Stone Mt., Panola Mt., Camp Meeting Rock and Arabia Mt. (the type locality, Forty-acre Rock in S.C., has been heavily impacted by graffiti).

Conservation Management Recommendations

Conserve granitic outcrops

References

Brodo, I. M. 2001. Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Brodo, I. M. 2016. Keys to lichens of North America: revised and expanded. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Esslinger, T. L. 2021. A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. Version 24. Opuscula Philolichenum 20: 100-394.

Knudsen, K., J. C. Lendemer & R. C. Harris. 2011. Studies in lichens and lichenicolous fungi – no 15: miscellaneous notes on species from eastern North America. Opuscula Philolichenum 9: 45-75.

Nash III, T. H., C. Gries & F. Gungartz (eds.). 2007. Lichen flora of the greater Sonoran Desert region. Vol. III. Lichens Unlimited, Arizona State University, Tempe.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges & Sean Beeching

Date Compiled or Updated

27 February 2022