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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 black to gray-pruinose lirellae of variable width, without visible rims; comparatively long, branching lirellae often arranged in radiating starburst patterns (though sometimes we see patterns where there are none); MICROSCOPY: exciple carbonized at sides & base, hymenium densely inspersed with tiny droplets, appearing gray and opaque, spores brown, with 3(-4) transverse septa (never sub-muriform), though spores are often shriveled & senescent (KOH mount can plump spores & help discern septation); FIELD ID: requires dissection to sort through lookalikes

Similar Species

Lirellae of Leiorreuma explicans are usually broad & short, seldom branched, not arranged in any pattern, & its spores are longer & sub-muriform; Phaeographis brasiliensis & P. inusta both have paler thalli & exciples uncarbonized at base of hymenium, & the former has a clear hymenium; Sarcographa tricosa has lirellae imbedded in whitish pseudostroma (this character is subjective & can vary within a single thallus, resulting in a judgement call for some specimens)

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Woodlands, forests & swamps; substrates: hardwood bark: 33% Quercus, 12% Acer, 7% Myrica, 5% Ilex & 41% other hardwoods or unknowns; 1 record from Pinus bark

Life History

Corticolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont an alga in Trentepohlia

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Statewide

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