Irish lichens

Buellia stellulata

Order: Lecanorales       Family: Physciaceae

Species: Buellia stellulata

Growth type crustose.
Photos: On rock. Gougane Barra, Cork, SW Ireland.
Left identified by John Douglass

Small white to pale grey cracked thallus with a black prothallus, often forming mosaics. Immersed apothecia. Asci are 8-spored, spores brown, 1-septate, 8-15 x 5-8 µm. Micro photo below.
K+ persistent yellow, C-, P+/- yellow, UV-

Usually coastal on hard siliceous rocks and pebbles.

Similar: Buellia aethalea. Greyer thallus, K+ yellow going red. Spores 13-18 x 6-12 µm.


Buellia stellulata

Buellia stellulata

Microscope photograph
Buellia stellulata
Buellia stellulata. August 2009 and January 2012

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