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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: Rocky forests, outcrops

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Description

Greenish-gray to brownish thallus thin, rimose-areolate; small apothecia black with black rims, immersed, often appearing to have a thalline rim due to a thin layer of thallus sticking to apothecia and cracking away from rest; MICROSCOPY: spores colorless, muriform, 8/ascus; FIELD ID: dissection required

Similar Species

Other Rhizocarpon species have larger disks & different spores

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Rocky forests, outcrops, on sheltered silicious rock

Life History

Saxicolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont a unicellular green alga

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Mostly Southern Blue Ridge, also a few records in Cumberland Plateau & Piedmont

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Uncommon

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.

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

July 5, 2022