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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: High-elevation rocky bald

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Description

Whitish areolate thallus, apothecia black with black rims; MICROSCOPY: spores colorless, muriform, 8/ascus; CHEMISTRY: thallus K+ red (norstictic acid); FIELD ID: dissection & chemical test required

Similar Species

No other Rhizocarpon has this combination of thallus color, spore characteristics & chemistry; superficially similar to Buellia, but that genus has brown septate spores

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

High-elevation rocky bald, on silicious rock

Life History

Saxicolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont a unicellular green alga

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Southern Blue Ridge

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Rare

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

4 August 2022