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Fissurina insidiosa C. Knight & Mitten
Treacherous Script

Photo © Don Hunter, Berrien Co., Ga., 8 Mar. 2014
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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:

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Mesic hardwood forests and swamps


Description

Green-gray to brown thallus thick, glossy, variably verrucose; lirellae short or long, branched, usually closed, with prominent labia; lirellae sometimes green, sometimes contrastingly light brown on green thallus; MICROSCOPY: spores 4-celled, about 18 x 9 µm, not reacting to iodine; CHEMISTRY: no reactions to spot tests; FIELD ID possible with experience & close examination of corticate thallus & puffy, usually closed lirellae

Similar Species

Fissurina ilicicola is paler, ecorticate & rare; it has muriform spores that turn blue-purple in iodine; F. scolecitis is a similar color but has flat lirellae without puffy labia

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Mesic hardwood forests & swamps; substrates: 24% Ilex bark, 18% Fagus, 13% Magnolia, 13% Quercus, 9% Nyssa, 6% Acer, 6% Fraxinus, & 9% other hardwoods; 1 record from Taxodium

Life History

Corticolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont a species of alga in genus Trentepohlia

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Statewide

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Fairly common, less so in Piedmont

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

References

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.

Lendemer, J. C. & R. C. Harris. 2014. Seven new species of Graphidaceae (Lichenized Ascomycetes) from the Coastal Plain of southeastern North America. Phytotaxa 189: 153-175.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

29 July 2022