Image of Phaeophyscia pusilloides

Description:

Slo.: mali rjavi uljevec (?) - syn.: Physcia pusilla Mereschk., Physcia pusilloides Zahlbr.- Habitat: abandoned pastures with scattered trees; moderately inclined mountain slope, south-east aspect; relatively warm and dry place; calcareous ground, sunny place; exposed to direct rain; average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 7-9 deg C, elevations 600 m (1.950 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: bark of a stand-alone, medium size, recently cut down Juglans regia; on medium size and smaller branches. Comment: Phaeophyscia pusilloides is another beautiful and in my region quite rare (Ref.:4) foliose lichen. It is known from Europe and East America. A characteristic trait of this species is semi-globular soralia produced on somewhat uplifted tips of the terminal thallus lobes. Soredia are distinctly lighter in color than thallus, greenish and farinous-granular. Apothecia are said to be rare (Ref.:1) or occasional (Ref.:2), however on this tree they were frequent. Lower side of the thallus is covered with zillions of simple black rhizines, which are very apparent. Also the apothecia have an interesting corona of black rhizines growing from their outer lower surface (Pic. 3). The species is dark gray or almost black when dry. On this tree, laying on ground, about 25 different lichens have been observed. Ref.: (1) I.M. Brodo, S.D. Sharnoff, S. Sharnoff, Lichens of North America, Yale Uni. Press (2001), p 543. (2) http://lichenportal.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=55099 (accessed 3.2.2018) (3) http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/lichens/Phaeophyscia%20pusilloides (accessed 2.2.2018) (4) http://dryades.units.it/italic/index.php?procedure=taxonpage&num=1707 (accessed 3.2.2018)