Order: Lecanorales       Family: Physciaceae Species: Physconia distorta Growth type foliose. Photos: On Salix trunk and branches. The Gearagh, Cork, SW Ireland. Identification confirmed by Alan Silverside (photographs) Palmate lobes, green when wet, brownish-grey when dry, lobe ends white pruinose. Often with small lobules in centre of thallus. Under-surfacewhitish at tips, black in centre with black 'bottle-brush rhizines. Pseudocyphellae, isidia and soralia are absent. Apothecia are frequent, brown to dark-brown with coarse pruina and a thick, sometimes lobate, thalline margin. Pycnidia frequent. Widespread on basic or nutrient-rich trees, also on mossy rocks. Cortex and medulla K- Similar: Physconia perisidiosa, isidiate, medulla negative. P. enteroxantha, sorediate, apothecia rare. Medulla K+ yellow.

Physconia distorta. December 2008 and May 2010