Physcia tenella (Scop.) DC.

in Lamarck & de Candolle, Fl. Franç., éd. 3, 2: 396, 1805, nom. cons.. Basionym: Lichen tenellus Scop. - Fl. Carniol., ed. 2, 2: 394, 1772.
Synonyms: Borrera tenella (Scop.) Ach.; Hagenia tenella (Scop.) De Not.; Parmelia stellaris var. tenella (Scop.) Spreng.; Parmelia tenella (Scop.) Ach.; Physcia adscendens var. tenella (Scop.) H. Olivier; Physcia leptalea var. italica B. de Lesd.; Physcia stellaris var. subobscura Nyl.; Physcia stellaris var. tenella (Scop.) Nyl.; Physcia tenella var. marina (A. Nyl.) Lynge
Description: Thallus foliose to subfruticose, heteromerous, dorsiventral, narrow-lobed, loosely attached, mostly in the form of confluent thalli forming irregular patches. Lobes strap-shaped, 0.3-1(-1.5) mm wide, ascending, white to very pale grey, white-maculate owing to breaks in the photobiont layer, with pale, but often dark-tipped marginal cilia and terminal, labriform soralia. Lower surface whitish, with very sparse brown-tipped rhizines towards the base, otherwise erhizinate. Upper cortex paraplectenchymatous; medulla very thin, white; lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous. Apothecia rare, lecanorine, 2-3 mm across, with a brown-black, sometimes pruinose disc and a rather thick, smooth thalline margin. Epithecium brown; hymenium and hypothecium colourless; paraphyses slender, simple or forked in upper part, the apical cells clavate, with a thin, dark brown cap. Asci 8-spored, clavate, the K/I+ blue tholus penetrated by a faintly amyloid apical cushion with parallel or diverging flanks, the wall K/I-, surrounded by a K/I+ blue outer layer, Lecanora-type. Ascospores 1-septate, brown, ellipsoid, thick-walled, (15-)17-21(-23) x 6-10 µm, the wall thickened at apex and at septum, Physcia-type. Pycnidia dark, semi-immersed. Conidia bacilliform, 4-6 x 1 µm. Photobiont chlorococcoid. Spot tests: cortex K+ yellow (reaction often faint), C-, KC-, P- or P+ faintly yellow; medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-. Chemistry: upper cortex with atranorin.
Growth form: Foliose, narrow lobed
Substrata: bark and rocks
Photobiont: green algae other than Trentepohlia
Reproductive strategy: mainly asexual, by soredia, or soredia-like structures (e.g. blastidia)

Commonnes-rarity: (info)

Alpine belt: absent
Subalpine belt: absent
Montane belt: rare
Dry submediterranean belt: rather rare
Humid submediterranean belt: rather rare
Padanian area: extremely rare

pH of the substrata:

12345
info

Solar irradiation:

12345
info

Aridity:

12345
info

Eutrophication:

12345
info

Poleotolerance:

0123
info

Altitudinal distribution:

123456
info

Rarity

absent
extremely rare
very rare
rare
rather rare
rather common
common
very common
extremely common
Loading data...
Occurrence data
Predictive map
Model ImageCurrent prediction (1981-2010)
Model ImageFuture prediction (2071-2100) SSP 1-2.6
Model ImageFuture prediction (2071-2100) SSP 5-8.5
Predictive maps according to Francesconi et al. 2025

Ulrich Kirschbaum CC BY-SA 4.0 - Source: https://www.thm.de/lse/ulrich-kirschbaum/flechtenbilder
Central Europe.


P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (12157)
2001/12/05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, nei dintorni della città
2008.04.05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, nei dintorni della città
2008.04.05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, nei dintorni della città
2008.04.05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, nei dintorni della città
2008.04.05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, nei dintorni della città
2008.04.05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, nei dintorni della città
2008.04.05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, dintorni della città
2008.04.05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, dintorni della città
2008.04.05


A. Moro; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Sicilia, TP, Erice, dintorni della città
2008.04.05


Juri Nascimbene; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trento, Villa Welsperg, Centro Visitatori del Parco di Paneveggio; altitude: 1030 m
03.04.2009


Juri Nascimbene; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trento, Villa Welsperg, Centro Visitatori del Parco di Paneveggio; altitude: 1030 m
03.04.2009


Harry Taylor; Owner: Natural History Museum London


Walter Obermayer CC BY-SA 4.0 - Source: Lichens of Noricum - http://lichens-of-noricum.uni-graz.at/


Walter Obermayer CC BY-SA 4.0 - Source: Lichens of Noricum - http://lichens-of-noricum.uni-graz.at/


Walter Obermayer CC BY-SA 4.0 - Source: Lichens of Noricum - http://lichens-of-noricum.uni-graz.at/


Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: https://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_P/Text_P_2/Physcia_tenella.htm
France, 2012 - Poleymieux-au-Mont-d'Or - Rhône


Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: https://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_P/Text_P_2/Physcia_tenella.htm
France, 2016 - Bord de plage Cala di Roccapina - Sartène - Corse


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=285&lang=en
France, Châteaulin


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=285&lang=en
France, Le Faou


Tony Robinet - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=1177&lang=en
France, Bannalec


Tony Robinet - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=1177&lang=en
France, Bannalec


Tony Robinet - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=1177&lang=en
France, Bannalec


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=1255&lang=en
France, Tregarvan
on plastic shipwrecks


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=1255&lang=en
France, Tregarvan
on plastic shipwrecks


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=1255&lang=en
France, Tregarvan
on plastic shipwrecks


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=1255&lang=en
France, Tregarvan
on plastic shipwrecks


Leif Stridvall - Source: http://www.stridvall.se/la/galleries.php


Ulrich Kirschbaum CC BY-SA 4.0 - Source: https://www.thm.de/lse/ulrich-kirschbaum/flechtenbilder
Central Europe.


Wolfgang von Brackel - CC BY-4.0
Germany, Bavaria, Röttenbach


Wolfgang von Brackel - CC BY-4.0
Germany, Bavaria, Röttenbach