Seirophora contortuplicata (Ach.) Frödén

in Frödén & Lassen, Lichenologist, 36: 29, 2004. Basionym: Parmelia contortuplicata Ach. - Syn. Meth. Lich.: 210, 1814.
Synonyms: Teloschistes contortuplicatus (Ach.) Clauzade & Rondon; Xanthaptychia contortuplicata (Ach.) S. Y. Kondr. & S. Ravera; Xanthoria contortuplicata (Ach.) Boistel
Distribution: N - Frl, Ven (Caniglia & al. 1999, Nascimbene & Caniglia 2000, Nascimbene 2004), TAA (Nascimbene 2004, Nascimbene & al. 2004, 2004b, 2022), Lomb, Piem, VA (TSB s.n.), Emil (Fariselli & al. 2020), Lig (TSB 33362). C - Marc (Nimis & Tretiach 1999), Umb (Ravera & al. 2003), Abr (Nimis & Tretiach 1999, Gheza & al. 2021), Sar (B - ex herb. Grummann 5474).
Description: Thallus subfruticose to subfoliose, up to 1.5 cm tall, forming small, densely branched masses, the lobes flattened, usually convex, adpressed to slightly ascending, 0.5-2 mm wide, mostly irregularly branched, attached by a basal holdfast and with short lateral lobes, the tips of secondary branches sometimes blastidiate. Upper surface more or less deep orange, but often grey-orange to grey in shade-forms, smooth or finely short-haired, especially at lobe tips; lower surface pale grey to yellow at lobe tips, often cracked exposing the medulla, with cortex strands forming a reticulate pattern. Upper cortex of longitudinally arranged hyphae; medulla interrupted by cortical strands with algae; lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous, with thin patches of medulla exposed where the cortex is missing. Apothecia very rare, lecanorine, laminal and subterminal, often stipitate, 1-3 mm across, with a dark orange, at first strongly concave then flat disc and a thick, raised thalline margin. Epithecium orange, K+ red, hymenium and hypothecium colourless. Asci 8- spored, clavate, functionally unitunicate, apically thickened with a broad internal beak, the inner part of apex and external cap I+ blue, Teloschistes-type. Ascospores 2-celled, polarilocular, hyaline, oblong to narrowly ellipsoid, (10.5-)11-15(-17) x 6-8(-9) µm, the equatorial thickening (“septum”) 1.5-2.5 µm. Pycnidia large, projecting, laminal or subterminal, orange to reddish orange, to 0.3 mm wide. Conidia hyaline, simple, ellipsoid when young, narrowly ellipsoid to bacilliform when mature, 3-4 x 1.5-2 µm. Photobiont chlorococcoid. Spot tests: thallus K+ red, C-, KC-, P-. Chemistry: parietin (major), fallacinal, teloschistin, and parietinic acid (all minor), and emodin (minor).
Note: on south-facing surfaces protected from rain (e.g. under overhangs) of calciferous rocks in the mountains. Not uncommon in the Western Alps and locally frequent along the eastern slopes of the Central Apennines.
Growth form: Fruticose

Substrata: rocks
Photobiont: green algae other than Trentepohlia
Reproductive strategy: mainly asexual, by soredia, or soredia-like structures (e.g. blastidia)
Subcontinental: restricted to areas with a dry-subcontinental climate (e.g. dry Alpine valleys, parts of Mediterranean Italy)
In underhangs rarely wetted by rain

Commonnes-rarity: (info)

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


P.L. Nimis CC BY-SA 04
TSB 23761



P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (23761)
2001/12/11



P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (23761)
2001/12/11



P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (34906)
2001/12/11
a grey shade-form



Juri Nascimbene - CC BY-SA 4.0
Italy, Veneto, Belluno, Vette di Feltre
2016



Juri Nascimbene - CC BY-SA 4.0; Owner: ITALIC - Dyades Project - Dept. of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Bolzano/Bozen, Sciliar/Schlern
2007



Pier Luigi Nimis - CC BY-SA 4.0; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
TSB 38002


Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: https://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_S/Text_S/Seirophora_contortuplicata.htm
France, session AFL 2014 dans la vallée de l'Ubaye - Alpes de Haute-Provence


Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: https://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_S/Text_S/Seirophora_contortuplicata.htm
France, session AFL 2014 dans la vallée de l'Ubaye - Alpes de Haute-Provence