Gyrographa saxigena (Taylor) Ertz & Tehler

in Ertz & al., Fungal Diversity, 70: 43, 2015. Basionym: Opegrapha saxigena Taylor - in Mackay, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., Ser. 2, 13: 93, 1854
Synonyms: Opegrapha conferta Anzi; Opegrapha xanthodes Nyl.
Distribution: N - Lomb. C - Tosc (Tretiach & al. 2008), Sar.
Description: Thallus crustose, endosubstratic or thinly episubstratic, whitish to pale grey, granulose, often poorly evident, esorediate. Apothecia lirelliform, black, epruinose, elongate, 0.5-1.5 x 0.2-0.3(-0.5) mm, at first isolated, but soon gathered into irregular to star-shaped, 2-3 mm wide, convex clusters, clearly raised, with a slit-like to slightly expanded disc, and a sometimes furrowed proper margin. Proper exciple black, carbonized, extending below the hymenium, K+ olive-green in inner part; epithecium brown, c. 10 µm high; hymenium colourless, (70-)80-100(-120) µm high, I+ red, rarely I+ blue in lower part; paraphyses branched and anastomosing, 1.5-2 µm thick, the apical cells slightly swollen; subhymenium brownish, 25-35 µm high; hypothecium brown-black, carbonized. Asci 8-spored, cylindrical-clavate, fissitunicate, laterally thin-walled, the apex rounded, with a tholus and a small ocular chamber, within a K/I+ medium blue ring (the only amyloid part of the ascus wall), the ascoplasma K/I+ orange-brown. Ascospores 3-septate, hyaline, more or less club-shaped, thick-walled and with rectangular loculi, 15-20(-24) x 4-6 µm, without a distinct perispore, the wall thick, thickened at septa. Pycnidia black, semi-immersed. Conidia bacilliform, (4-)5-7 x < 1 µm. Photobiont trentepohlioid. Spot tests: thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-, UV-. Chemistry: without lichen substances.
Note: a mild-temperate to Mediterranean-Macaronesian lichen of shaded siliceous rocks, mostly coastal; probably overlooked, or confused with other species in the past, but certainly not common. The synonymisation of Opegrapha conferta Anzi with Gyrographa saxigena by Coppins & al. (2008) has been taken up by several other sources. There is however a lichen which has been frequently called Opegrapha conferta, that belongs to Arthonia calcarea-group (mentioned as O. conferta auct. by Cannon & al. 2020). If the type of O. conferta Anzi is Gyrographa saxigena, this other lichen has no valid name, and even if the synonymisation were incorrect, that lichen still would have no valid name, since it should be transferred to Arthonia, the epithet conferta conflicting with an already existing Arthonia conferta (Fée) Nyl. (1858).
Growth form: Crustose
Substrata: rocks
Photobiont: Trentepohlia
Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual
Most common in areas with a humid-warm climate (e.g. most of Tyrrenian Italy)

Commonnes-rarity: (info)

Alpine belt: absent
Subalpine belt: absent
Oromediterranean belt: absent
Montane belt: absent
Submediterranean belt: very rare
Padanian area: absent
Humid submediterranean belt: extremely rare
Humid mediterranean belt: very rare
Dry mediterranean belt: absent

pH of the substrata:

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Solar irradiation:

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Aridity:

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Eutrophication:

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Poleotolerance:

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Altitudinal distribution:

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Predictive model
Herbarium samples
Index Fungorum GBIF

Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Le Passage



P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (34939)
2002/04/03
old apothecia forming convex clumps



P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (13113)
2001/11/27


Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: https://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_O/Texte_O/Opegrapha_conferta.htm
France, 10/10/2018 - Ajaccio, Pointe de la Parata, alt.5 m - Corse


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Le Fret


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Le Fret


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Argol


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Argol


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Crozon, falaise au bord de mer


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Landevennec


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Le Passage


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Le Passage



P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (13113)
2001/11/27


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Lostmarc'h


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Lostmarc'h


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Pointe d'Armorique


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Pointe de Pen-Hir


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Reun ar Chrank


Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=639&lang=en
France, Trezien


Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: https://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_O/Texte_O/Opegrapha_conferta.htm
France, 10/10/2018 - Ajaccio, Pointe de la Parata, alt.5 m - Corse


Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: https://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_O/Texte_O/Opegrapha_conferta.htm
France, 10/10/2018 - Ajaccio, Pointe de la Parata, alt.5 m - Corse