Irish lichens

Lepra multipuncta, Pertusaria multipuncta

Order: Pertusariales       Family: Pertusariaceae

Species: Lepra multipuncta (Pertusaria multipuncta)

Growth type crustose.
Photos: On oak. Glengarriff woods, Co. Cork, SW Ireland.
Identification confirmed by John Douglass

Variable. Thallus whitish-grey, thin and smooth or thick, warted and +/- cracked. Scattered white, +/- flat, sorediate warts with 1-5 pale to dark brown apothecia within each wart. Asci are 1-spored, spores 90-170 x 30-70 µm. Microscope photographs below.

Found on smooth acidic bark, especially on twigs and young branches. Most frequent on trees in old, undisturbed woodlands.
K+ yellow, C-, KC+ yellow, P+ orange-red, UV- or glaucous.


Pertusaria multipuncta

Pertusaria multipuncta

Pertusaria multipuncta

Pertusaria multipuncta

Microscope photographs
Pertusaria multipuncta, asci

Pertusaria multipuncta, ascospores
Lepra multipuncta (Pertusaria multipuncta). November 2009 and January 2011

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