Loading profile...

Loading profile. Please wait . . .

Ochrolechia africana Vainio
Frosty Saucer

Photo © Don Hunter, Brooks Co., Ga., 1 Feb. 2014
range map button NatureServe button Report Button About button

Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: G5

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: Forests, woodlands


Description

Whitish thallus textured with lumps & low ridges; large disks round or crowded, with smooth, puffy lecanorine rims; disks sunken below rims, mostly pruinose, appearing white, yellow or pink; CHEMISTRY: apothecial disk & medulla of rim KC+, C+ red (gyrophoric acid), but cortex of rim KC-, C-, thallus UV+ yellow (lichexanthone) or UV- (2 chemical races); FIELD ID: chemical tests on minute portions of thallus require dissecting scope & microtubules

Similar Species

Ochrolechia pseudopallescens reacts KC+, C+ red only on the disk surface; O. trochophora reacts KC+, C+ red on rim cortex; O. mexicana is KC+, C+ red on disk surface, rim cortex & rim medulla

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Forests, woodlands (& other habitats with trees); substrates: hardwood bark, especially on twigs & small branches: 31% Quercus, 6% Prunus & 55% other hardwoods or unknowns; conifer bark: 10 records from Taxodium bark, 3 from Juniperus & 2 from Pinus; 2 records on silicious rock

Life History

Corticolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont a green chlorococcoid alga (Trebouxia?)

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Statewide

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Common to abundant (less frequent in mountains)

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.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

10 May 2022