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Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: G4G5

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: Mesic hardwood forests and swamps

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Description

Dark brown or olive-green smooth thallus with small, black, naked perithecia (sometimes with a thin, variable covering of thallus, but with at least summit naked), the thallus often contrasting strongly with paler surrounding lichens; MICROSCOPY: spores mostly 8-celled, 35-60 µm long; FIELD ID possible (at least to genus) with experience due to unique color of thallus (visible at a distance), taking care to use hand lens to observe small black perithecia; dissection needed to examine spores & eliminate congener

Similar Species

Pseudosagedia rhaphidosperma has spores 12-22-celled, 60-140 µm long

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Mesic hardwood forests & swamps; substrates: mostly hardwood bark: 27% Acer, 23% Quercus, 8% Carpinus, 8% Carya, 7% Liriodendron & many from other hardwoods or unknowns; 1 record from Pinus & 3 from Taxodium

Life History

Corticolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont an alga in Trentepohlia

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Statewide

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Common to abundant, often overlooked or dismissed as dark bark

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

References

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.

Harris, R. C. & D. Ladd. 2005. Preliminary draft: Ozark lichens. Unpublished manuscript, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.

Tripp, E. A. & J. C. Lendemer. 2020. Field guide to the lichens of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

4 August 2022