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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: Rock outcrops

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Description

Tan to grayish thallus thick, rough to lumpy, with black disks often crowded & rimmed, prominent rims concolorous with thallus; MICROSCOPY: asci with 8 large, colorless, simple, oval spores, often with a large oil droplet (the “yolk in the egg”); CHEMISTRY: thallus K+ yellow (stictic acid); FIELD ID: with experience, possible, but K test & dissection needed to confirm

Similar Species

Aspicilia cinerea has an often-paler K+ red thallus; A. laevata is often near water, & has a thinner, smoother thallus, rimose to continuous; Circinaria species are K-

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Rock outcrops, on silicious rock

Life History

Saxicolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont a green alga in genus Trebouxia

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Cumberland Plateau, Ridge & Valley, Southern Blue Ridge

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Uncommon

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.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

5 March 2022