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Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: G4

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, mesic forests

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Description

Pale green to white (high-light habitats) placodioid leprose thallus, typically 2-layered, ranging from scattered small patches up to large mats, becoming thicker & more disorganized towards center of large thalli, always turned up at “lobe” edges to form a shallow rim; granules small & crowded, whiter below; rhizohyphae brown; CHEMISTRY: thallus K+ yellow KC- (or -/+ pink?), C-, PD-/+ orange-red, UV- (atranorin, -/+ protocetraric acid); FIELD ID: distinctive; outside Southern Blue Ridge, elf-ear dust is thought to be entirely this species

Similar Species

Lepraria oxybapha is presumed to be infrequent, but is indistinguishable from this species except by thin-layer chromatography (TLC)

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

On natural vertical humid habitats; substrates: 84% on silicious rock, 15% on hardwood bark, & 1 record on soil

Life History

Saxicolous leprose lichenized fungus, photobiont a chlorococcoid green alga

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Statewide (with many specimens awaiting TLC to confirm identification)

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Common to abundant

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. 2013. A monograph of the crustose members of the genus Lepraria Ach. s. str. (Stereocaulaceae, Lichenized Ascomycetes) in North America north of Mexico. Opuscula Philolichenum 11: 27-141.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

21 April 2022