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Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: GNR

State Rank: SNR

Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: No

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

SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

2025 SGCN Priority Tier: None

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Forests, woodlands

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Description

Tiny green oval granules branching off one another, with short, sparse, bristly hairs, altogether resembling the pads & spines of prickly-pear cacti; FIELD ID: make sure bristly hairs are short, & granules branch off one another; high magnification needed

Similar Species

Sparse thalli of Phyllopsora spp. growing in mosses can resemble this species

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Forests, woodlands; usually in mosses over bark of hardwoods (72%) or Juniperus virginiana (16%); 12% of records divided between mosses over calcareous or noncalcareous rock

Life History

Mostly muscicolous lichenized fungus; photobiont a green, unicellular alga

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Widespread across Ga.

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Uncommon

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

References

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.  

Nash, T. H., B. D. Ryan, C. Gries & F. Bungartz (eds.) 2002. Lichen flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert region. Vol. 1. Lichens Unlimited, Tempe, Ariz.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges & Sean Beeching

Date Compiled or Updated

27 February 2022