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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: Mostly mesic forests

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Description

Pale green or blue-green, thick thallus without a cortex; often with scattered small white blotches, & with a white prothallus (or black edges against other crustose lichens, as above); CHEMISTRY: thallus K-, PD+ yellow (psoromic acid); FIELD ID: with experience, this lichen can be identified in the field, eliminating lookalikes by its lack of soralia, isidia, apothecia, perithecia, or a cortex; other crusts have a pure white or creamy-white color; best confirmed with chemical tests in the lab

Similar Species

Other white sterile crusts could easily be mistaken for this species by the inexperienced

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Mostly mesic forests, almost entirely on hardwood bark: 28% Acer, 25% Quercus, 9% Carya & 6% Magnolia; 1 record on Juniperus

Life History

Corticolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont an alga in genus Dictyochloropsis

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Statewide

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Common throughout

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

3 August 2022