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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: Maritime forest, pine flatwoods, swamp forest

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Description

Pale green or whitish thallus with brown-to-pink lirellae surrounded by red or orange crystals, crystals sometimes reduced and difficult to see; FIELD ID: unmistakable when young & fresh; older or worn thalli usually identifiable with a closer look through hand lens

Similar Species

Arthonia cinnabarina is not similar & is on different substrates (note "A. cinnabarina" photo in Brodo 2001 is of A. rubrocincta)

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Maritime forest, pine flatwoods, swamp forest, where it is only found on Sabal palmetto woody petioles, mostly toward broad base

Life History

Foliicolous (corticolous?) crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont an alga in Trentepohlia

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Lower Coastal Plain, & anywhere sabal palms have been planted in landscaping

Threats

Harvesting palms from natural habitats for landscaping

Georgia Conservation Status

Common; likely secure, but a narrow endemic tied to coastal lowlands & thus threatened ultimately by climate change, at least in natural habitat

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

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.

Grube, M., & J. C. Lendemer. 2009. Arthonia rubrocincta: Belated validation of a name for a common species endemic to Sabal palmetto in the southeastern United States. Opuscula Philolichenum 7: 7-12.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

27 September 2023