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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:

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Granitic rock outcrops

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Description

Black, minutely pebbled to granular thallus, continuous & turning red-brown when wet, cracking into polygons & darkening to black when dry; apothecial rims thalline, thick, closed to a pore; MICROSCOPY: cyanobacterial photobiont grouped in small “packets” with gelatinous, yellow sheaths (K-), spores simple, colorless, 8/ascus, 12-15 x 5-7.5 µm; FIELD ID not possible; ID best left to the few experts that specialize in this group

Similar Species

Other species in the notoriously difficult-to-identify order Lichinales (with a few exceptions)

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Granitic rock outcrops, on silicious rock

Life History

Saxicolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont a cyanobacterium

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Piedmont, Southern Blue Ridge

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Unknown; this genus is often overlooked or avoided due to challenging ID

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

5 August 2022