Family: Acarosporaceae Species: Myriospora smaragdula (Acarospora smaragdula) Growth type crustose. Photos: on upland rocks. Ballingeary area, Co. Cork, SW Ireland. Variable. Thallus usually pale creamy brown but yellowish-green on copper-rich rocks. Scattered flat to convex areoles that can form continuous crust. There are usually 3-7 minute apothecia in each areole, red-brown to blackish, margins absent or well developed. Asci >100-spored, spores 2-5 x 1-2 µm. Micro photo below. K+ red, C-, KC+ red, P+ yellow. Rarely K- or KC- Occurs on sheltered slightly base-rich siliceous rocks, sites rich in heavy metals and on sheltered stones below metal run-off. Similar: A. fuscata. Brownish areoles, K-, C+ red, KC+ red

Microscope photograph

Acarospora smaragdula. November 2009 and April 2012