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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: Woodlands, forests and swamps

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Description

Smooth gray to green thallus with broad, black to gray-pruinose lirellae, without visible rims, lirellae sometimes imbedded in a powdery white pseudostroma; comparatively short, only occasionally branched lirellae appear independent of others, not forming patterns (unless all are oriented in the same way around the thallus edges); MICROSCOPY: exciple carbonized at sides & base, hymenium densely inspersed with tiny droplets, appearing gray and opaque, spores brown, with 4-7 transverse septa and 1 or more divisions in layers (sub-muriform), though spores are often shriveled & senescent (KOH wet mount can plump spores & help discern septation); FIELD ID: possible with experience, but ambiguous thalli require dissection

Similar Species

Lirellae of Leiorreuma sericeum are usually arranged in starburst patterns, branching out from a single point, and its spores are usually 3(-4) septate, not sub-muriform

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Woodlands, forests & swamps; substrates: hardwood bark: 38% Quercus, 9% Acer, 6% Prunus, 5% Carya & 40% other hardwoods or unknowns; 2 records from Taxodium & 1 from Juniperus

Life History

Corticolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont an alga in Trentepohlia

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Coastal Plain, Piedmont; rare in Southern Blue Ridge

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Common

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.

Lendemer, J. C. 2010. Revised keys to the Graphidaceae in southeastern North America. Created for the 2010 Tuckerman Workshop, Augusta, Georgia. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, N.Y.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

19 April 2022