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Lecidella sp.
Lecidella sp., maybe L. elaeochroma. Thallus a grey-white to pale-grey-green, cracked crust, usually without soredia but occasionally (f. soralifera, page pending) with small, yellow-green, spot-like soralia; apothecia small, black, concave to convex, when young with well-defined margins. An early colonist of smooth-barked trees, widespread and often very common.
On the bark of a Celtis australis tree, a young one. Spotted in the parking of Universidad Autonoma de Madrid campus.
Lecidella is part of the very large 'Lecidea group' of lichens – crustose species with dark or black apothecia that lack distinct 'thalline' margins, though they will usually have differentiated 'proper' margins the same colour as the disk. Microscopic examination of mature apothecia (and sadly they are often not mature) is usually necessary even to be sure of the genus, and field identification of all but a few distinctive species is risky.
Spotted on Jul 7, 2012
Submitted on Sep 1, 2012
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