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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: Shaded boulders, outcrops, rocky forests

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Description

Pale blue-green to white, thick thallus without a cortex; often with scattered small white blotches or tufts (diffuse soralia), & with a white prothallus (darkening against other lichen crusts, as above); CHEMISTRY: thallus K+ red (norstictic acid); FIELD ID: in Ga. & in proper habitat, unmistakable; watch for water to bead up on this species in damp conditions; if new to this species, do a field K test to confirm

Similar Species

None

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Shaded boulders, outcrops, rocky forests, on silicious rock, especially beneath overhangs or on vertical, shaded cliffs or rocks

Life History

Saxicolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont an alga in genus Dictyochloropsis

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Mostly north of the Fall Line, with a few records on Altamaha Formation sandstone in the Coastal Plain

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Common in proper habitat

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