Irish lichens

Athallia cerinella, Caloplaca cerinella

Order: Teloschistales       Family: Teloschistaceae

Species: Athallia cerinella (Caloplaca cerinella)

Growth type crustose.
Photos: Ballingeary, Co. Cork and Killarney, Co. Kerry, SW Ireland

Thin, smooth, grey to white thallus forming small patches or +/- immersed. Very small closely grouped apothecia, discs pale yellow to orange with paler persistent margins. Asci (8-)12-16 spored, spores polarilocular, 10-13 x 6-7 µm, septum 3-5 µm wide, 1/4 - 1/2 spore length. Micrographs below. Thallus K-, apothecia K+ red-purple

Inconspicuous and probably often overlooked on the bark of twigs and small branches of Ash and Elder.

Similar: Caloplaca cerinelloides, very small apothecia. 8-spored asci. Caloplaca cerina, larger apothecia, asci 8-spored.


Caloplaca cerinella

Caloplaca cerinella

Micrograph
Caloplaca cerinella

Caloplaca cerinella
Athallia cerinella (Caloplaca cerinella). January 2010 and 2012, August 2024

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