Order: Ostropales       Family: Graphidaceae Species: Graphis elegans Growth type crustose, graphid. Photos: Ballingeary, Cork, SW Ireland. Smooth, slightly shiny or wrinkled greyish thallus, apothecia with raised carbonaceous margins +/- meeting in centre. Apothecia margins have 2-7 longitudinal furrows but these are not always clearly visible. Discs are not pruinose. The asci are 8-spored, multi-septate spores (7-12 -septate), 30-50 x 6-12 µm. Mature spores are colourless but may become brown when over-mature. Micro photos below. Host to Melaspilea diplasiospora. Widespread in Ireland on shady smooth-barked trees and twigs. K+ yellow turning slowly blood-red (patchy), P+ orange Similar: Graphis scripta.

Microscope photographs





Graphis elegans. January 2010