Irish lichens

Tephromela atra var torulosa

Order: Lecanorales       Family: Bacidiaceae

Species: Tephromela atra var. torulosa

Growth type crustose. Specimen identified by John Douglass
Photos: On tree trunk. Gougane Barra, Co. Cork, SW Ireland.

Fresh thallus is slightly greenish-white. T. atra var. torulosa has a smaller thallus and apothecia than var. atra. Apothecia less than 1mm diameter, var. atra has apothecia 1-2.5mm. Asci 8-spored, spores simple, 10-15 x 5-8 µm. Apothecia purplish-red in section. Cortex K+ yellow, C-, KC+ yellow, P-. Medulla UV+ ice-white.

Rare on deciduous trees, especially on branches.

Tephromela atra var atra is occasionally found on trees but the apothecia are larger, 1-2.5mm diam.


Tephromela atra var torulosa

Tephromela atra var torulosa
Tephromela atra var. torulosa. August 2009

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