ITALIC 7.0

Acarospora sphaerospora H. Magn.

Svensk Bot. Tidskr., 18: 338, 1924.

Synonyms: Acarospora firmiensis B. de Lesd.

Distribution: N - TAA (Nascimbene & al. 2022). C - Sar.

Description: Thallus crustose, episubstratic, areolate-subsquamulose, the areoles sparse or gathered in small clusters, pale brown except at the brown-black margin, flat to slightly convex, 0.4-2.5 mm wide. Cortex 60-70 μm thick; algal layer of uniform thickness, continuous. Apothecia aspicilioid, at first punctiform, then with an expanded, round to elliptical or irregularly shaped, flat disc occupied by a single central umbo, with a poorly evident thalline margin. Epithecium brownish; hymenium colourless, 140-200 μm high; paraphyses abundantly branched and anastomosing, 1.5-2 μm thick at base; hypothecium colourless. Asci 100-200-spored, clavate, the apical dome K/I-. Ascospores 1-celled, hyaline, globose or subglobose, 3-5 x 3-4 μm. Photobiont chlorococcoid. Spot tests: cortex K- C+ pink, KC+ pink, P- (reactions often fleeting and observable only on thick sections under the microscope!). Chemistry: cortex with low quantities of gyrophoric acid.

Note: on basic siliceous rocks wetted by rain, mostly below the montane belt, perhaps a parasite of Aspicilia, at least when young. Described from Southern France, and known from a few localities in the Mediterranean area.

Growth form: Crustose

Substrata: rocks

Photobiont: green algae other than Trentepohlia

Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual

paras Aspicilia when young

Commonnes-rarity: (info)

Alpine belt: absent

Subalpine belt: absent

Oromediterranean belt: absent

Montane belt: very rare

Submediterranean belt: absent

Padanian area: absent

Humid submediterranean belt: very rare

Humid mediterranean belt: very rare

Dry mediterranean belt: absent

pH of the substrata:

1

2

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4

5

(info)

Solar irradiation:

1

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5

(info)

Aridity:

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5

(info)

Eutrophication:

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5

(info)

Poleotolerance:

0

1

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3

(info)

Altitudinal distribution:

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6

(info)

Predictive model

Herbarium samples

Index Fungorum GBIF