Irish lichens

Pertusaria albescens

Order: Pertusariales       Family: Pertusariaceae

Species: Lepra albescens (Pertusaria albescens)

Growth type crustose.
Photos: On moss on Oak. Glengarriff, Co. Cork, SW Ireland.

Very variable. Thallus can be thick or thin, pale grey to dark green-grey, +/- waxy, smooth to warted with a grey, often zoned margin. Scattered or contiguous paler soralia, disc-like or forming large clumps, KC-. Apothecia are very rare.
P. albescens var. corallina, thicker thallus and coarser soralia.

Frequent throughout Ireland on mature, lightly shaded trees.
K-, C-, KC-, P-. Soralia KC-. Taste-test for oxalic acid negative.

Similar: Pertusaria amara. Soralia KC+ violet. Taste-test positive.


Pertusaria albescens

Pertusaria albescens


Pertusaria albescens November 2009

All images used are copyright. Please contact me if you find errors.