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Caloplaca atroalba (Tuck.) Zahlbr.
Limestone Firedot
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: Limestone outcrops
Brown-gray rimose-areolate thallus with sessile, flat, brown apothecia; disks have a variably paler rim; CHEMISTRY: thallus, disks K-; MICROSCOPY: spores colorless, 2-celled, polarilocular (not evident in some thalli---overmature spores?); FIELD ID; best told from Halecania pepegospora with a lab PD test & dissection to examine spores
The following species are also on limestone & superficially similar: Halecania pepegospora also has sessile disks but its thallus is PD+ red, with 2 locules filling the spores (not polarilocular); Petractis farlowii & Caeruleum immersum both have disks immersed or semi-immersed, not sessile, the former with muriform spores & the latter with tiny spores in polysporous asci; Gyalolechia flavovirescens is also on limestone, with similar spores, but its disks are orange, K+ purple
None
Limestone outcrops, on limestone
Saxicolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont a green alga (Trebouxia?)
None
Cumberland Plateau, Ridge & Valley, Southern Blue Ridge
Unknown
Rare
None
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.
Malcolm Hodges
13 July 2022