Order: Teloschistales       Family: Teloschistaceae Species: Blastenia lauri (Caloplaca ferruginea) Growth type crustose. The Burren and Gougane Barra, Ireland Entire or immersed thin, smooth, pale whitish-grey thallus, the large bright-orange apothecia (1-2mm diam.) often with uneven, flexose margins. Asci 8-spored, spores polarilocular, 12-14 x 6-8 µm, the septum 5 µm to approx 1/2 length of ascospore. Micrograph below. K+ crimson / purple. Mainly found on Hazel and Willow, also on twigs and trunks of other basic-barked trees in western Ireland and Scotland. All Irish records of Caloplaca ferruginea are Blastenia lauri, a recent segregate with a primarily oceanic distribution in Britain and Ireland Similar: Blastenia ferruginea s.str is very rare, southern Britain. Blastenia crenularia occurs on siliceous rocks

Micrograph

Blastenia lauri (Caloplaca ferruginea). April and September 2009