Keys to Genera
KEYS TO GENERA
General Synopsis
1
Lichen-forming, comprising crustose, leprose, filamentous, placodioid, squamulose, foliose, fruticose and foliicolous life forms
Lichenicolous, parasitic, commensalistic or saprophytic on lichen-forming fungi
Fruiting body simple or lacerate or lobed stalks, not a seasonal mushroom, white to pale-yellow or ochre-pink
7
Thallus leprose, entirely granular-powdery, without a cortex, occasionally indistinctly lobed at margins; mostly on vertical surfaces or underhangs
Thallus not entirely leprose, ±corticate towards margins and when young; lobes present or absent; soredia or isidia often present; on bark, wood, rock, concrete, asbestos, cement
Fruits perithecia or perithecia-like, globose, opening by a minute pore at apex, or several peritheca may occur within a receptacle with 3–15 minute pores (×10 lens
10
Fruits elongate (lirellae), the disc exposed or a slit, or fissurine, sometimes short, straight, curved, stellate or in ±parallel lines
Fruits discoid, the disc ±exposed at maturity, concave to globose, sometimes immersed in the thallus or enclosed in warts
Thallus filamentous, very fine, soft, hair-like or felt-like, fungal hyphae enveloping photobiont filaments or chains
Thallus placodioid (crustose centrally but distinctly lobed and often ±free at or near margins, which can usually only be removed with part of the substratum)
Thallus of small (to 10 mm long), leaf-like, or shield-like, dorsiventral scales (squamules), often overlapping and forming swards; fruiting bodies sessile or on erect stalks (podetia)
Thallus foliose, of horizontally spreading lobes, leaf-like, dorsiventral, the upper surface differing in colour from the lower surface which is usually corticate, attached to the substratum by rhizines, tomentum, or part of the lower cortex, rarely unattached; usually easily detached from substratum
15
Thallus fruticose, shrub-like or beard-like, rarely worm-like or thread-like with erect or pendulous branches; terete or angular in cross section, or if flattened then with photobiont cells above and below arranged round a central strand or hollow cavity; attached only at base, or by a few, scattered hapters
KEY 1 – LICHENICOLOUS FUNGI
8
Ascomata perithecia arising singly, without a common, black clypeus; forming galls or of scattered perithecia; on a variety of hosts (Caloplaca, Chondropsis Degeliella, Physcia, Placopsis, Thamnolia) but never on Umbilicaria
Ascomata pseudothecia, in groups united by a common, black clypeus; gall-forming on species of Umbilicaria
9
Ascospores 1(–2)-septate, walls delicately to coarsely verrucose
*Polycoccum
10
Perithecia papillate; interascal filaments not branched; ascospores 1–3-septate, 10–12 × 3.5–5.5 μm; on species of Placopsis
*Phaeospora perrugosaria
Perithecia immersed; interascal filaments branched and anastomosing pseudoparaphyses; ascospores 3-septate, 18–27.5 × 7.5–12 μm; on species of Degelia, Massalongia carnosa, Pseudocyphellaria, Rinodina and Xanthoria
*Pyrenidium actinellum
11
Asci polysporous (50–200 ascospores); hamathecium of netted paraphysoids; ascospores subglobose to globose, 2–4 × 2 μm; on species of Brigantiaea
*Rosellinula lopadii
Asci (4–)8-spored; interascal filaments unbranched; ascospores 9–18 × 6–11 μm; on species of Degelia
*Rosselliniella coccocarpiae
15
Perithecia setose; ascospores 6–12 × 2–4 μm, to 4-guttulate; on Pseudocyphellaria coronata
*Wentiomyces tatjanae
Perithecia or pseudothecia without setae; on species of Lecanora, Physcia, Pseudocyphellaria, Thamnolia and Xanthoria
*Stigmidium
Hamathecium of thick-walled hyphae; perithecia densely aggregated; all parts of ascomata inspersed with oil droplets; on Xanthoria elegans
17
Perispore smooth; ascospores 15–17 × 4.5–5.5 μm; on Arthrorhaphis alpina and A. citrinella var. catolechioides
Perispore distinctly warted; ascospores 18–26 × 6.5–9 μm; on Lecanora dispersa and Xanthoria elegans
*Zwackhiomyces
18
Perithecia subglobose, black, not stromatose; ascospores 3–7-septate (to submuriform), 25–45 × 6–9 μm; on Normandina pulchella
Perithecia fleshy, yellow-orange, partially immersed in a white, byssoid stroma; ascospores 13-septate, 125–240 × 2–3 μm; on Thelotrema lepadinum
Ascospores sometimes with apical, filiform, gelatinous appendages, 11.5–19 × 4.5–5.5 μm; on Leptogium aucklandicum
21
Perithecia immersed in blister-like galls; ascospores ellipsoidal with rounded ends, 0–2-guttulate, 8–10(–11) × 3–5 μm; on Thamnolia vermicularis
*Thamnogalla crombei
Perithecia not immersed in blister-like galls; ascospores fusiform, 10–12 × 2.5 μm; on Lecidea fuscoatrula
*Verrucaria cramba
Ascomata catathecia; ascospores hyaline, ellipsoidal, 1-septate; on foliicolous species of Porina
Hamathecium lacking, asci developing in a mass of paraplectenchymatous tissue; ascospores with a prominent perispore, 8–10 × 3–5 μm; on species of Xanthoparmelia
28
Ascospores Buellia -type, 12–14 × 7–8 μm; on species of Aspicilia and Xanthoparmelia
Ascospores Dirinaria -type, 11.5–17 × 6–9 μm; on Lecanora bicincta and L. rupicola
*Rinodina insularis
29
Ascomata arthonioid, adnate to sessile or immersed, immarginate; hamathecium of branched paraphysoids; ascospores 1–3-septate, end cell often enlarged
Ascomata lecideine, sessile to subpedicellate, thinly marginate; hamathecium of sparsely branched, narrow paraphyses; ascospores 1–3–5–7-septate to submuriform, end cell not enlarged
Ascospores 8–12-septate, fusiform-acicular, 30–90 × 8–15 μm; on Pseudocyphellaria intricata
Ascomata bursting through cortex of host; ascospores ellipsoidal to soleiform, 1– septate, constricted at septum, 12–19 × 4–6 μm; on Pseudocyphellaria multifida
35
Apothecia scattered to aggregated; disc plane to subconvex, cream to dark-brown or black; ascospores simple to 1-septate, ellipsoidal to broadly ellipsoidal, not guttulate,10–14(–15) × 4–5.5(–7) μm; on Pseudocyphellaria colensoi
*Scutula miliaris
Apothecia immersed to sessile to subpedicellate; disc plane to convex, black; ascospores 1-septate, cylindrical to narrowly ellipsoidal, multiguttulate, 10–16 (–17) × 3–4 μm; on Ramalina celastri
36
Ascomata stromatic, with lirellate to almost perithecioid loculi; ascospores 3-septate; on species of Pseudocyphellaria and Sticta caliginosa, Haematomma hilare, Heterodermia or Lecidea
37
Fertile loculi perithecioid to irregularly lirellate, never with a punctiform ostiole; surface of ascomata not sprinkled with ostioles; fertile loculi embedded in a stroma that is often carbonised over, between and under them
Fertile loculi perithecioid, with a kind of ostiole, and thus ascomatal surface sprinkled with numerous punctiform holes; stroma reduced to a clypeus-like, blackish layer covering fertile loculi; on Pseudocyphellaria glabra
*Perigrapha nitida
38
Ascomata initially roundish, flat to subconvex, not constricted basally, not gall-forming, stromatic, unilocular to weakly multilocular, when mature the upper stromatic layer breaks along irregular lines, some of the stromatic fragments disappear forming a mature ascoma irregularly covered by stromatic remnants between which the fertile hymenium is exposed giving the appearance of an Opegrapha -like ascoma, usually < 0.5 mm diam
Ascomata roundish, flat to strongly convex, commonly producing galls that are basally constricted, stromatic, multilocular; upper stromatic layer often with a warted, lirellate or labyrinthiform ornamentation, but never breaking and partly disappearing when mature; usually > 0.5 mm diam.
*Plectocarpon
40
Thallus chalky white; medulla I+ violet; apothecia subimmersed; on species of Aspicilia
Thallus medium to dark glossy brown, bullate–areolate; apothecia sessile; on Lecanora rupicola
*Rimularia insularis
Apothecia immersed/urceolate opening by a pore; ascospores ellipsoidal, biguttulate, 5–12 × 3–4.5 μm; on Pertusaria melanospora
*Skyttea mayerhoferi
Epithecium pale-brown; asci Lecanora -type; ascospores citriform, guttulate, 13–21 × 5–7 μm; on Parmelia saxatilis and Parmelina labrosa
44
Epithecium smoky blue-green; ascospores 7–12 × 5–6 μm; on Candelariella vitellina
Epithecium red-brown to dark-brown; ascospores 8–9 × 2.5–3 μm; on Sticta squamata
*Unguiculariopsis triregia
Conidia pale-brown, 1-septate, cylindrical, 4–7.5 × 4.4–5; on species of Caloplaca and Lecanora
Conidia brown, spherical, 3.5–6 μm; on Xanthoria
*Xanthoriicola physciae
50
Conidia narrowly ellipsoidal, arcuate to bacillar, smooth-walled; on Usnea and Parmotrema perlatum
*Phoma
Conidia obpyriform extruding in a mucilaginous drop in pycnidial cavity; on Abrothallus parmeliarum
*Vouauxiomyces santessonii
51
Basidiomata corticioid, effuse, thin, arachnoid, forming massive, circular, brown lesions on swards of Desmococcoid green algae, Lecanora conizaeoides and Physcia adscendens, on introduced trees in sites of moderate to heavy atmospheric pollution
Basidiomata subspherical or convex, pale-pinkish, red-brown to black; on branches of species of Usnea
KEY 2 – LEPROSE LICHENS
6
Terricolous; white efflorescent soralia on greyish, spreading thallus; usually on exposed clay banks, tracks, paths etc.; Pd+ yellow-orange
Corticolous; pale-grey, inconspicuous, ±obscured by scattered or contiguous, efflorescent, pale green-white soralia
KEY 3 – STERILE CRUSTOSE LICHENS
Saxicolous; of dispersed or contiguous golden- to orange-yellow sorediate granules
Thallus yellow or greyish yellow, spotted orange (K+ purple), dissolving in a granular–furfuraceous, sorediate crust
8
Squamules to 1 mm diam., usually becoming nodular–crenate and dissolving into clusters of fine, granular soredia
Thallus of well-developed, convex, subsquamulose areolae, or of scattered, warted granules, not becoming sorediate
Thallus UV+ (squamatic acid present); thallus scurfy grey-white to white, with or without scattered, efflorescent soralia; on clay and along vehicle tracks in grassland
11
Thallus a minutely granular crust, grey-white, to grey-green tinged brownish, with irregular, orange-red patches (K+ purple); and coalescing, farinose, greenish white soralia
Trapeliopsis pseudogranulosa
Thallus of whitish grey, crowded, granular to verrucose areolae; soralia creamish to grey-green, granular C+ red (gyrophoric acid)
Trapeliopsis granulosa
14
Thallus effuse, granular–scurfy, abundantly sorediate; C+ orange, Pd− (thiophanic acid present, pannarin absent)
Thallus rapidly dissolving into soredia, C+ orange, Pd+ red (arthothelin and pannarin present)
16
Thallus and soralia coarsely granular, dull olive-green to grey-green; in heavily polluted areas
Thallus thin, pale-grey; soralia farinose, green-grey or bluish grey, often obscuring thallus
17
Soralia pale-grey or greenish white, K+ yellow, Pd+ red (fumarprotocetraric acid
Soralia white, convex, C+ red (gyrophoric acid)
Trapelia corticola
Soralia C−; thallus thin, pale-grey; soralia farinose, green-grey or bluish grey, often obscuring thallus
Soralia white, convex
Trapelia corticola
20
Soralia grey-green to dark-green, often aeruginose
Trapeliopsis flexuosa
Soralia whitish to yellow-brown, sometimes tinged grey-green
Trapeliopsis granulosa
Thallus thin, wax-like; with greenish grey, translucent hyphophores; on smooth bark
22
Thallus white; isidia white, finger-like; on alpine soils amongst mosses
Pertusaria dactylina
Thallus grey; isidia globose, forming irregular, delimited, blue-black or brown-black, soralia-like clusters; on decorticated wood (fenceposts) in nutrient-enriched habitats
Thelomma ocellatum
KEY 4 – CRUSTOSE LICHENS WITH STALKED APOTHECIA
Spore wall hyaline; mazedium pale
Sclerophora
Ascomata shortly stalked or sessile; mazedium black
Sphinctrina
9
Exciple strongly thickened at base; fertile verrucae 1.5–2 mm diam.; thallus with areas of black, granular isidia; medulla I+ blue
Thelomma ocellatum
10
Ascospores cylindrical, 1–3(–7)-septate, with an ornamentation of spirally arranged ridges; mazaedium with an aeruginose tinge
Ascospores ellipsoidal to broadly ellipsoidal, smooth or with an ornamentation of spirally arranged ridges or irregular cracks
11
Ascomata with distinctly constricted capitulum margin; semi-mature ascospores with a thick gelatinous coat
Sphinctrina
Ascomata without distinctly constricted capitulum margin; semi-mature ascospores without a thick gelatinous coat
Asci unevenly thickened, apex in semi-mature asci penetrated by a thin canal; asci usually < 55 μm long
Ascospores ellipsoidal, not flattened; asci > 65 μm long
Phaeocalicium
Asci unevenly thickened, apex in semi-mature ascospores penetrated by a thin canal; asci usually < 55 μm long
17
Ascospores ellipsoidal, 1-septate, 11–13 μm long
Phaeocalicium
Ascospores broadly to narrowly fusiform, (1–)3-septate, 9–35 μm long
Stenocybe
19
Apothecia solitary, bright rose-pink or orange-pink, convex and club-shaped, immarginate, ecorticate, often sorediate
Apothecia numerous and contorted to solitary, pale pinkish brown to red-brown ±flattened and disciform, with a distinct, pale, margin, corticate, esorediate
KEY 5 – CRUSTOSE LICHENS WITH PERITHECIA (OR PERITHECIA-LIKE APOTHECIA)
Hymenial algae (2 μm diam.) within perithecium asci 2-spored, ascospores dark- brown, (25–)30–50 × 15–25 μm
Staurothele fissa
3
Perithecia present; laminal cephalodia absent; thallus K−; ascospores < 30 μm long; saxicolous or terricolous
Apothecia present, perithecia-like, immersed in thalline warts; laminal cephalodia present; thallus K+ yellow-orange; ascospores large, 40–70 × 20–30 μm, wall 4 μm thick; mainly corticolous, rarely saxicolous
Terricolous; paraphyses slender, persistent
Thrombium epigaeum
Involucrellum not fissured
Verrucaria
Ascomata combined in a stroma with a common, carbonaceous covering (involucrellum) with 8–30 pores; ascospores elongate, 3–20-septate
Trypethelium variolosum
Ascospores curved, acicular, 13-septate, 100–160 × 3–5 μm
Rhytidiella beloniza
11
Ascospores soleiform, 1-septate; on algal films overgrowing decaying bryophytes
Ascospores elongate–fusiform, 1–7-septate; saxicolous, or corticolous
Porina
13
Paraphyses ±evanescent; ascospores 1–3(–4)-septate, often constricted at septum, clustered or biseriate in ascus
Paraphyses persistent, net-like; ascospores 1-septate, not or rarely constricted at septum, uniseriate in ascus
Hamathecium of branched but not anastomosing pseudoparaphyses, soon gelatinising
17
Perithecial wall cellular, without bark cells; asci cylindrical–clavate with a broad ocular chamber; ascospores without a perispore
Perithecial wall hyphal, with bark cells; asci obpyriform; ascospores 16–20(–22) × 4.5–5 μm, with a distinct, 1-μm-thick perispore
18
Thallus pale-grey, olivaceous, maculate; perithecia glossy, black; ascospores 2–3(–4)-septate, 20–25.5 × 9–11 μm
Thallus creamish; perithecia partially overgrown by thallus; ascospores 3-septate, 22–30(–33) × 6–9(–10) μm
Polymeridium catapastum
Paraphyses absent; ascospores 1–3-septate
Thelidium
20
Spore wall smooth; ascospores 3–7-septate, not constricted at septa; septa thick
Pyrenula
Spore wall minutely warted (oil immersion); ascospores 1-septate; septa thin, constricted at septum
25
Not peeling from substratum, prothallus absent; ostioles of perithecia not gaping–dilated; paraphyses anastomosing, net-like; ascospores 30–300 × 11–65 μm
Often peeling from substratum or ±easily detached, prothallus often present; ostioles of perithecia often gaping–dilated; paraphyses sparingly branched; ascospores 40–150 × 22–40 μm
Porina exocha
26
Often peeling from substratum or ±easily detached, prothallus often present; ostioles of perithecia often gaping–dilated; paraphyses sparingly branched; ascospores 40–150 × 22–40 μm
Porina exocha
Not peeling from substratum, prothallus absent; perithecia not gaping–dilated; paraphyses unbranched; ascospores ellipsoidal to subglobose, 19–27.5 × 11.5–17 μm
Topelia rosea
Saxicolous; thallus continuous, cortical cells not papillate
Polyblastia
28
Exciple fused to thalline rim, blackened; ascospores 1 per ascus, 120–210 × 30–35 μm
Exciple detached from thalline rim, not blackened; ascospores 2–8 per ascus, 35–130 × 10–25 μm
Thelotrema pr. p.
Apothecia present (perithecia-like), with a distinct, overarching thalline rim forming a ±discrete or gaping pore, disc often visible within
Thelotrema pr. p.
30
Peritheca discrete; paraphyses anastomosing; ascospores oblong–ellipsoidal, 35–52 × 8–13 μm
Perithecia mostly united (1–4) in a common stroma; paraphyses unbranched; ascospores broadly ellipsoidal, 30–70 × 11–35 μm
Pyrenula pr. p.
KEY 6 – CRUSTOSE LICHENS WITH LIRELLATE (OR APPARENTLY LIRELLATE) APOTHECIA
Ascospores simple
Xylographa
Ascospores brown, 3–5-septate, 17–22 × 6.5–8.5 μm
Phaeographis intricans
6
Apothecial disc brown, irregularly branched, radiate–flexuose; ascospores I+ deep-violet, ellipsoidal–fusiform, 5–10-septate, 32–50 × 7–8.5 μm; paraphyses simple
Apothecial disc red-brown to black, aggregated or regularly arranged following shape of individual pseudostromata; ascospores I-, acicular, flexuose, 3-septate, 30–55(–70) × 2–3(–4) μm; paraphyses net-like
13
Thallus saxicolous (coastal rocks); apothecia immersed, punctiform to lirellate, sigmoid or shortly branched, thalline margin appearing as a whitish halo (contrasting with brownish or purplish brown thallus); ascospores fusiform, curved to subsigmoid, 32–45 × 3.5–5 μm
Thallus corticolous; apothecia elongate, lirelliform to stellate; ascospores subsigmoid to straight or slightly curved, 33–38 × 2–3 μm
Schismatomma occultum
15
Saxicolous; apothecia minute, punctiform, discrete, straight or sinuous; ascospores 20–24 × 10–12 μm
16
Ascospores I+ deep blue-violet, 3–11-septate
Phaeographis
18
Ascospores brown, 28–36 × 10–15 μm
Phaeographina arechavaletae
Ascospores colourless, 30–40 × 12–18 μm
Thalloloma subvelata
19
Ascomata usually ±innate, with an eroded "rubbed down" appearance; asci ±rounded, 2–8-spored; ascospores colourless or brown
Ascomata prominent, swollen (like scattered, black grains of wheat); asci cylindrical, 8-spored; ascospores colourless, 24–27 × 7–13
KEY 7 – CRUSTOSE LICHENS WITH DISCOID APOTHECIA
7
Mainly corticolous; apothecia perithecia-like, immersed in hemispherical warts; cephalodia pale, ±concolorous with thallus when dry; thallus K+ yellow- orange, C−; ascospores large, 40–70 × 20–32 μm
Saxicolous or terricolous; apothecia sessile to subpedicellate, discs ±broadly exposed, pale to dark red-brown, pink or blackened; cephalodia yellowish, red-brown or pinkish when dry; thallus K−, C+ pink or red; ascospores thin-walled, 12–30 × 6–21 μm
Placopsis pr. p.
9
Spore wall thick; ascospores 8 or fewer per ascus; ascomata discrete or several together forming irregular, fertile verrucae, or ±immersed; disc small and punctiform to broad and lecanorine
Spore wall thin; ascospores (6–)8 per ascus; ascomata always discrete, disc ±widely exposed
10
Terricolous; thallus ±pruinose; apothecia immersed, urceolate, discrete; ascospores 8 per ascus, 36–52 × 24–30 μm
Corticolous or saxicolous, rarely terricolous; apothecia innate within verrucae generally elevated above thallus surface, disciform with monocarpic fruits producing single-walled ascospores in lecanorine or sorediate verrucae, or poriform with polycarpic fruits producing double-walled ascospores
Pertusaria
Apothecia biatorine, bursting through thallus cortex (collar of thallus soon disappearing; cortex C+ red (lecanoric acid)
Trapelia
13
Thallus lobate at margins, crustose centrally; epithecium red-brown or brown, "Aspicilia -green" absent, N−; paraphyses not moniliform
Thallus rarely or never lobate at margins; epithecium green, "Aspicilia -green" present, N+ green; paraphyses moniliform
Hymenium purple-red or purple-violet
Tephromela atra
15
Thallus green, grey, yellow, white or, if brown, then at least partially densely pruinose; ascus apex with a small, I− axial body
Thallus and apothecia pale grey-brown to dark chestnut-brown, glossy, epruinose; ascus apex with a broad, I− axial body
Protoparmelia badia
Phytobiont cyanobacterial (Nostoc); thallus homoiomerous, gelatinous when moist, cracking into areolae when dry; apothecia pale pinkish, contrasting with bluish thallus; ascospores 12–15 × 6–7 μm
Santessoniella pulchella
19
Apothecia not bursting through thallus cortex, never with collar of thalline tissue; cortex C− or + red or orange (not lecanoric acid)
Apothecia bursting through thallus cortex, pale collar of thalline tissue soon disappearing; cortex C+ rose-red (lecanoric acid)
Trapelia
21
Hypothecium yellow-brown; ascus Miltidea -type; ascospores distinctly halonate
Hypothecium colourless; ascus Lecanora -type; ascospores without a distinct perispore
Pyrrhospora
24
Laminal cephalodia present (Gloeocapsa); main photobiont arranged in vertical sheets
Laminal cephalodia absent; photobiont not arranged in vertical sheets
Poeltidea perusta
27
Thallus K−; medulla I+ pale- to dark violet; apothecia sessile to immersed, marginate; ascospores halonate I−
Thallus K+ yellow→red (norstictic acid); medulla I+ blue; apothecia immersed (cryptolecanorine); ascospores halonate, perispore I+ blue
28
Thallus yellow (usnic acid), dingy white, pale-grey or creamish; medulla I− or I+ pale-blue or pale-violet; apothecia sessile to subimmersed
Poeltiaria
Thallus yellow-brown to dark grey-brown, olive-brown to blackened; medulla I+ dark-violet; apothecia immersed, aspicilioid
Ascospores non-halonate
Paraporpidia
30
Apothecia not conglomerate; hypothecium without scattered blue-violet granules; conidia bacillar
Porpidia
Apothecia conglomerate (blackberry-like); hypothecium with scattered blue-violet (K+ green) granules; ascospores simple to 1-septate; conidia filiform
32
Thallus nodular, isidioid, papillate, amongst cushions of moss (Andreaea, Racomitrium); apothecia sessile, convex to conglomerate–tuberculate, blue-black to greyish, with a delicate grey-blue bloom; epithecium blue-green; ascospores 25–20(–25) × 5–9 μm; high-alpine
Thallus areolate, scurfy, creamish white, not associated with moss; apothecia immersed, red-brown, epruinose; epithecium orange to pale-brown; ascospores (13–)15–17(–18) × 7–8(–8.5) μm, apices attenuate; subantarctic on coastal rocks
Asci Biatora -type; thallus white to grey-white, thin, minutely granular, continuous to areolate; apothecia sessile, subconcave, to 0.35 mm diam., pale pinkish or brown-pink; ascospores ovoid, contents granular–oily, 17 × 10 μm
40
On limestone; thallus thick, whitish tartareous; apothecia innate, disc black with a grey-white pruina; hypotheciun brown-black
Rhizolecia hybrida
Asci Rimularia -type; anastomosing moniliform paraphyses; a well-developed exciple of pseudoparenchymatous cells; umbonate to gyrose apothecial discs; large, non-halonate ascospores
Rimularia
Asci Tremolecia -type (amyloid structures absent); thallus small, rust-coloured, delimited at margins by a black prothallus; apothecia subimmersed to immersed, black, epruinose; hypothecium dark-brown; ascospores ellipsoidal, 10–14 × 6–9 μm
Tremolecia atrata
44
Apothecia urceolate or aspicilioid; disc concave to flat, at or below level of thallus surface; paraphyses lax; asci without an apical amyloid dome; on rocks
Schaereria
Apothecia emergent to sessile; disc flat to convex at maturity, raised above level of thallus surface; on rocks, soil, rotting or decorticated wood
Trapelia
KEY 7a: Crustose lichens with discoid apothecia; ascospores brown, grey, greenish blue or black at maturity
Apothecia with a thalline margin; ascospores polarilocular
Rinodina
Ascospores halonate
Rhizocarpon pr. p.
10
Exciple detached from thalline rim, not blackened; ascospores 1–2 per ascus, 95–190 × 25–42 μm
Thelotrema pr. p.
Exciple fused to thalline rim, blackened; ascospores 1 per ascus, 120–210 × 30–35 μm
Apothecia crowded into convoluted, ±cerebriform thalline verrucae; ascospores 1 (rarely 2) per ascus, 60–240 × 32–100 μm
Tremotylium
12
Thallus subarachnoid, granular–scurfy, white or grey-white, not areolate; ascospores oblong–ellipsoidal to fabiform, submuriform (sometimes 3–5-septate); paraphyses ±simple; on weathered limestone
Thallus distinctly areolate, not granular–scurfy, yellow-green, ashy grey or brownish, rarely white; ascospores ovoid or broadly ellipsoidal; paraphyses conglutinate, netted; on acid rocks, rarely on limestone
Rhizocarpon
KEY 7b: Crustose lichens with discoid apothecia; ascospores hyaline, 40–300 per ascus
Corticolous; thallus crustose forming neat, well-defined patches; apothecia sessile
Apothecia dark brown-black
Strangospora deplanata
6
On basic substrata (limestone, calcareous sandstone, concrete etc.); thallus indistinct; prothallus absent; C−
On high-alpine, acid rocks; thallus yellow-grey to pale brown-grey, areolate, in well-defined patches; black, marginal prothallus prominent; apothecia immersed; asci Catillaria -type; C+ red (gyrophoric acid)
Sporastatia testudinea
7
Apothecia gyrose–contorted or fissured, black, epruinose, proper margin often obscuring disc
Polysporina simplex
Apothecia plane, not obscured by black proper margin, disc blue-black, not gyrose–contorted, often grey-pruinose
Sarcogyne regularis
Key 7c: Crustose lichens with discoid apothecia; ascospores hyaline, 1- or more-septate, polarilocular, submuriform or muriform
5
Thallus orbicular, ±placodioid, marginal lobes clearly differentiated, inner part of thallus remaining intact; thallus and apothecial discs K+ purple (parietin); ascospores 8 per ascus
Thallus granular–dispersed, spreading, not placodioid; thallus and apothecial discs K−; ascospores 8, 16 or 32 per ascus
Thallus minutely squamulose–hummocky, margins delicately scalloped to minutely lobulate; ascospores 15–18(–20) × 3.5–5 μm, vacuolate and appearing 4- or more-septate; on coastal rocks
Solenopsora sordida
11
Apothecia lecideine; hamathecium of branched, anastomosing paraphyses; atranorin present; on coastal rocks
Tylothallia pahiensis
Apothecia biatorine; hamathecium of simple paraphyses; epithecial pigments K+ green, N+ red; atranorin absent
17
Apothecia yellowish, orange, red-brown or mustard-yellow, never blackened; ascospores fusiform–ellipsoidal; pycnidial walls not K+ purple
Apothecia brown-pink, piebald to blackened; ascospores oblong–ellipsoidal; pycnidial walls K+ purple
18
Apothecia mustard-yellow (K+ purple-red), immarginate; ascospores 15–22 μm long; photobiont Chlorococcaceae
Stirtoniella kelica
Apothecia yellow, orange or red-brown (K−), marginate; ascospores 6–14 μm long; photobiont Trentepohlia
Ascospores acicular; thallus vivid sulphur-yellow; on subalpine to high-alpine soils
23
Thallus effuse or scurfy; ascospores fusiform to acicular, 3–16-septate; norstictic acid absent; on clay and soils
Thallus grey-brown, granular; ascospores ellipsoidal to fusiform, simple to 2–4-septate; norstictic acid present (K+ yellow→red); on alpine bryophytes and plant detritus
Ascospores spirally contorted
Scoliciosporum lividum
32
Apothecial discs rounded, red, or pink, sometimes white-pruinose; on twigs and tree trunks
Apothecial discs irregular, ±stellate, furcate or lirellate, black or brownish; on dry bark of old trees
Schismatomma occultum
Apothecia distinctly urceolate, 1–4 per areola; ascospores 1–3-septate, fusiform, often curved, 16–32 × 4–5 μm
34
Apothecia grey-white-pruinose; photobiont Trentepohlia; ascospores thin-walled, 20–40 μm long
Apothecia brown to dark-brown-epruinose; photobiont Dictyochloropsis; ascospores thick-walled, 40–80 μm long
36
Exciple fused to thalline rim, carbonised; ascospores 5–9-septate, 26–34 × 8–8.3 μm
Exciple detached, not fused to thalline rim, not carbonised
Thelotrema pr. p.
38
Apothecia sessile; disc rounded red, pink or orange, sometimes white-pruinose; thallus not arachnoid
Apothecia ±innate or ±level with thallus surface, round to irregular; disc ±white- pruinose and often appearing soredia-like, concolorous with thallus or paler; thallus ±arachnoid, whitish, pale-green or grey
Phlyctis
Apothecial margins byssoid; ascospores halonate, 5-septate, 15–18 × 4.5 μm; lignicolous
40
Ascospores narrowly acicular, 3–7-septate, 60–85 × 1.5–1.7 μm; terricolous and on rotting wood
Ascospores spirally contorted
Scoliciosporum umbrinum
46
Ascospores halonate, 16–28 × 8–10 μm; thallus grey-brown to dark grey; with a prominent black, marginal prothallus
Rhizocarpon submodestum
Ascospores not halonate, 10–13 × 3.5–5 μm; thallus filmy, minutely granular or effuse; prothallus absent
49
Exciple fused to thalline rim, blackened; ascospores 1 per ascus, 120–210 × 30–35 μm
Exciple detached from rim, not blackened; ascospores 2–8 per ascus, 50–104 × 15–24 μm
Thelotrema pr. p.
56
Thallus pale green-grey, matt, PD+ orange (pannarin); apothecia brown, pruinose; ascospores ovoid, transverse septa thick, 45–80 × 23–32 μm; photobiont Dictyochloropsis
Thallus yellow-grey to glaucous-brown, Pd−; apothecia red-brown to black, epruinose; ascospores oblong–cylindrical, transverse septa thin,75–110 × 9–14 μm; photobiont Trentepohlia
58
Apothecia sessile, black, margins entire; ascospores halonate
Rhizocarpon pr. p.
Apothecia erumpent, margins splitting, recurved, Geaster -like; ascospores not halonate
59
Terricolous, on high-alpine soils; thallus white, granular verrucose; apothecia mustard-yellow to orange (K+ purple); ascospores 1 per ascus, 48–105(–120) × 25–45(–55) μm
Muscicolous, in lowland forests; thallus whitish to grey-green, effuse; apothecia perithecioid to gyalectoid; disc pinkish, radially fissured, K−; ascospores 1 per ascus, 100–270 × 25–60 μm
Topeliopsis muscigena
KEY 8 – FILAMENTOUS LICHENS
Mycobiont hyphae straight, longitudinally arranged
Racodium rupestre
5
Asci (16–)24-spored
Zahlbrucknerella
7
Thallus blue-green; rhizines present; photobiont Hyphomorpha; ascospores not seen
Spilonema dendroides
Thallus brownish black; rhizines absent; photobiont Scytonema; ascospores muriform, brown-black
Pyrenothrix nigra
8
Thallus pale-green, olive or whitish, felted or woolly, not shelf-like, not zonate; ascomata present
Thallus blue-green, fibrillose, shelf-like, zonate; basidiomata irregularly spreading, whitish or creamish, on underside of thallus
Thallus pale-green to olive-yellow, felt-like or fluffy; apothecia orange-yellow; ascospores 1-septate
10
Thallus grey-white, greenish white, yellowish, pinkish or orange-green; apothecia subpedicellate or barrel-shaped; ascospores septate
Thallus white; apothecia sessile, small (0.3–0.4 mm diam.), pale-pink, immarginate; ascospores simple, 22–30 × 3–8 μm
Roccellinastrum neglectum
11
Thallus whitish to pinkish or orange-green; apothecia barrel-shaped, with dentate–stellate margins; ascospores filiform–acicular, 80–100-septate
Thallus grey-white, greenish white or yellowish white; apothecia subpedicellate, white-pruinose; ascospores fusiform, 5-septate
Sagenidium molle
KEY 9 – PLACODIOID LICHENS
3
Lower cortex present
Xanthoria elegans
5
Thallus blue-black, ± papillate; on limestone
Placynthium nigrum
Thallus blue-grey to ±olivaceous, matt or scabrid; on subalpine to alpine soils, or acid rocks
Steinera
Cephalodia present; cortex C+ red or pink; on soil and rocks
Placopsis pr. p.
7
Thallus buff-brown to blackish, not pruinose; ascomata perithecia; intertidal
Verrucaria durietzii
Thallus white to pale grey-white, often pruinose; asomata apothecia; rare; above high tide mark
KEY 10 – SQUAMULOSE LICHENS
2
Thallus attached over whole of lower surface, without a central umbilicus; sorediate or fertile; ascospores 8 per ascus
Thallus attached by a central umbilicus; apothecia rare, immersed; ascospores 60–100 per ascus; thallus sorediate
Peltula euploca
Thallus squamulose, brownish; upper surface at most scabrid; asci without I+ blue apical cap
5
Marginal prothallus often present, blue-grey or blue-green or fawn above; squamules variable, ±flattened or undulate, rounded to crenate, scattered to imbricate; ascospores simple
Marginal prothallus absent; squamules red-brown or grey-brown, elongate, ascending, crowded–imbricate; ascospores 1–2-septate
Thallus gelatinous; corticate on both surfaces
Santessoniella pulchella
Thallus Pd+; cortex sclerenchymatous
Siphulastrum
12
Thallus with a green primary photobiont; cyanobacteria present in external cephalodia
Psoromidium aleuroides
Thallus with a cyanobiont; without cephalodia
Parmeliella
13
Thallus crustose to small-squamulose; hymenium not I+ blue; asci with amyloid apical structures
Thallus squamulose to subfoliose; hymenium I+ blue; asci without amyloid apical structures
Pannaria
14
Apothecia with a distinct thalline margin; ascospores markedly warted; hymenium I+ dirty blackish blue
Psoroma
Apothecia with a variable thalline margin, sometimes poorly developed;ascospores at most uneven; hymenium I+ blue-green turning red-brown
Ascospores brown, 1-septate, 4 per ascus; cephalodia imbricate, coralloid or squamiform, surrounding urceolate apothecia; on alpine, calcareous soils
Solorina spongiosa
Apothecia with a thalline margin (containing photobiont)
Pannaria (green)
Hymenium amyloid, consistently blue
Psoromidium aleuroides
21
Squamules minute, sorediate, granular–furfuraceous; walls of podetia if present perforate; apothecia minute, peltate, black
22
Squamules and podetia yellow-green or yellow-brown (usnic acid present); podetia ridged–striate–fissured; apothecia tallow-pink or brownish, never black
Squamules and podetia pale-green or olive-brown, never yellowish (usnic acid absent); podetia uniformly terete, finger-like, not ridged, striate or fissured; apothecia black
23
Apothecia large (2–6 mm diam.), ±flattened–undulate, spathulate, disc ventral
Thysanothecium
Squamules shell-like, small, green to grey-blue, often discrete or overlapping, sorediate; ascomata unknown
Thallus minutely but distinctly lobate, especially at margins, ±densely granular– sorediate
Thallus with well-developed rooting system of rhizinomorphs; ascomata unknown
Siphula
Cephalodia present; apothecia lecanorine; ascospore wall roughened–ornamented
Pannaria pr. p.
Apothecia zeorine, immersed in verrucae, Pertusaria -like; ascospores thick-walled, 50–65 × 25–30 μm; on alpine soils
34
Thallus ±peltate or shell-like, 1.5–6 mm diam.; apothecia black or brown-black; hypothecium shallow
Thallus microphylline, ±coralloid; apothecia brown, orange-red or red-brown; hypothecium massive, chondroid
Phyllopsora
36
Squamules 3–6 mm diam., concave, contiguous or scattered, salmon-pink to chestnut- brown or yellow-brown, often white-pruinose to coarsely crystalline; apothecia marginal, convex, black
Psora
Squamules 1.5–2 mm diam., convex, imbricate, ascending, glaucous-green to pale greyish or fawn-grey, somewhat scabrid, occasionally sorediate; lower cortex orange-brown or yellowish; apothecia confluent, purplish black
Trapeliopsis colensoi
37
Corticolous, on rotting wood; thallus green, microphylline; apothecia conglomerate–confluent, rust-red
Trapeliopsis congregans
38
Thallus lettuce-green, not pruinose, rosette-forming, white below; apothecia pink; ascospores 1-septate
Thallus white, yellow-brown, red-brown, grey or blackish, often white-pruinose lobulate, hummocky to ±granular–areolate; apothecia black; ascospores 1–3(–7)-septate
Toninia
KEY 11 – FOLIOSE LICHENS
2
Lower surface with cyphellae
Sticta
Lower surface with pseudocyphellae
Pseudocyphellaria
Thallus tough, cartilaginous and ridged even when wet; ascospores simple
Physma
7
Thallus usually brown-black or greenish black, often swollen when wet; cellular cortex on upper and lower surfaces absent (microscope); without hairs on lower surface
Thallus blue-grey, brownish or greyish black, not generally swollen when wet; often with pale hairs on lower (rarely also on upper) surface; cortex of 1-cell thickness on upper and lower surfaces (microscope)
9
Lower surface smooth, pale-buff to brown-red; ascospores simple, 100+ per ascus; in dry, ±arid habitats
Peltula euploca
Lower surface corrugate–faveolate, white; ascospores 2–3-septate, 8 per ascus; subantarctic, subalpine
Peltularia crassa
Lower surface ±distinctly veined; ascomata marginal; ascospores elongate, septate, colourless
Peltigera
11
Thallus not coralloid, ±rosette-forming or lobate; ascomata sessile to subpedicellate, on lamina or at margins or on lower surface of lobes; ascospores colourless
Thallus mainly of thin, coralloid to squamulose, blue-green cephalodia surrounding ±urceolate ascomata with a thin margin containing green algae; ascospores brown, 1-septate
Solorina spongiosa
15
Upper surface brownish; lower surface normally without rhizohyphae but with woolly buff to brown tomentum; hymenium I+ blue only around asci; ascus apex without apical amyloid structures; photobiont Nostoc
Upper surface greyish; lower surface with white to blue-black rhizohyphae; hymenium I+ blue; ascus apex with a distinct I+ blue cap; photobiont Scytonema
Thallus ±placodioid, especially at margins; ascomata ±innate; ascospores septate
Steinera
17
Thallus thick, coriaceous, ±uniform; lobes cuneate–flabellate with dense pale or blue- black rhizohyphae below but without a distinct, felted prothallus
Thallus thin, often uneven-ridged or wrinkled; lobes not cuneate–flabellate; often with a distinct, blue-black, felted, marginal prothallus
18
Ascomata adnate, biatorine, often irregular in outline, without proper or thalline margins; asci with or without apical (or external) amyloid cap or ring structures
Ascomata sessile, regular in outline, with a visible proper margin, thalline margin present or absent; asci with apical amyloid sheets
19
Ascomata lecanorine (photobiont cells present in margin); asci without apical amyloid structures; pannarin present (Pd+)
Pannaria
Ascomata lecideine (photobiont cells not present in margin); asci with apical amyloid tubes; pannarin absent (Pd−)
Parmeliella
20
Upper surface sorediate, isidia absent; lower surface with naked patches scattered amongst pale- to dark-brown tomentum; tomentum of two kinds; scrobiculin, usnic acid and stictic acid chemosyndrome present
Upper surface isidiate, soredia absent; lower surface with a reticulate, dark tomentum; triterpenoids present, usnic acid and scrobiculin absent
Thallus attached by a central umbilicus
Umbilicaria
Thallus irregularly submonophyllous; ascomata perithecia, ostioles visible as numerous black dots on upper surface; on wet rocks
Dermatocarpon miniatum var. complicatum
Thallus unattached, ±flattened when moist, curling up into balls when dry
Xanthoparmelia semiviridis
Hypothallus discontinuous, in bead-like patches; upper surface yellowish, usnic acid present
Pannoparmelia
Cephalodia present on upper (rarely also on lower) surface
Pannaria pr. p.
28
Thallus yellow-orange
29
Marginal cilia or fibrils present
Teloschistes
32
Conidia simple ellipsoidal; lower surface wrinkled, with hapters but without well- developed rhizines; apothecial margins not rhizinate
Xanthoria
Conidia bacillar; lower surface and apothecial margins with well-developed rhizines
Xanthomendoza novozelandica
34
Upper surface with distinctive perforations (rarely imperforate, and then with isidia); ascospores large, thick-walled, 2 or 8 per ascus; physodic acid absent
Upper surface without perforations or isidia; ascospores small, 8 per ascus; physodic acid present
Lower surface and margins vivid orange, K+ purple; high-alpine, on soil
Solorina crocea
38
Pseudocyphellae ±elongate, often forming a coarse reticulum; medulla K+, C−
Parmelia
Pseudocyphellae punctiform, scattered, not forming a coarse reticulum; medulla K−, C+ (rose-pink or red)
Punctelia
40
Lobes ±flat, evenly attached, not or rarely ascending; lower surface corticate, not felt-like or with veins
Lobes ±ascending (6–10 mm wide), densely rhizinate below, rhizines felted, with a network of veins; on soil
Lobes ±apically incised; ascospores small, 5.5–14 × 3.5–8 μm
Xanthoparmelia pr. p.
43
On rocks, soil, glass, slate, tiles rarely spreading onto mosses; apothecia laminal; ascospores colourless, simple
Xanthoparmelia pr. p.
On bark or twigs, rarely on rocks; apothecia on lower surface of marginal lobes; ascospores reddish brown, 3-septate
Lobes broad, rounded (10–30 mm wide), with a broad, brown, naked, marginal zone on lower surface; upper surface often maculate (×10 lens)
Parmotrema
47
Lobes 2–10 mm wide; upper surface smooth, not fibrous, olive-brown or grey-white; medulla K + or −
Lobes 0.4–1.5 mm wide, loosely dichotomously branching; upper surface fibrous without maculae; lower surface ecorticate, arachnoid, with subapical soralia; medulla K−
48
Lobes 4–8 mm wide, dichotomously branching; upper surface maculate (×10 lens), grey or grey-white, sorediate at apices; lower surface shining, corticate; medulla K+ yellow→red (salazinic acid)
Lobes 2–10 mm wide, loosely tufted, not dichotomously branching; upper surface emaculate, olive-brown or brown; soredia marginal; lower surface pale-brown, rhizinate centrally; medulla K− (protolichesterinic acid)
Tuckermanopsis chlorophylla
49
Thallus closely attached even at apices; lobes 1–4 mm wide, sublinear to subirregular; lower surface ivory to black; rhizines black, simple to squarrose ; ascospores simple, colourless
Thallus adnate to ascending; lobes 0.5–1 mm wide; lower surface white; rhizines whitish or darkening, simple; ascospores 1-septate, brown
Physcia adscendens
50
Lobe apices truncate; cilia mostly evenly dispersed; some rhizines furcate to squarrose or dichotomously branching
Parmelinopsis
Lobes subrotund to rotund; cilia mainly in lobe axils; rhizines simple or rarely squarrose
Parmelina
Saxicolous; cortex HNO3+ blue-green or violet
Xanthoparmelia pr. p. (brown)
Lower surface rhizinate to margins; rhizines dichotomously or squarrosely branched (often projecting); lobe apices truncate
57
Lobes broad, (often > 10 mm wide); lower surface with a broad, naked marginal zone (> 1 mm wide)
Parmotrema pr. p
Lobes narrow (0.5–3 mm wide); lower surface with a narrow, naked marginal zone (< 1 mm wide)
Thallus UV+ golden yellow, lichexanthone present
Pyxine
59
Thallus greyish, colour little changed when wet; upper surface K+ yellow (atranorin)
Physcia
Thallus brownish, greenish or greyish, becoming greenish when wet, K−
Phaeophyscia
63
Upper surface with minute, punctiform pseudocyphellae (×10 lens); lower surface sparsely rhizinate
Upper surface without pseudocyphellae; lower surface rhizinate centrally, with a broad, brown, shining, naked marginal zone
Parmotrema
Lower surface pubescent, rhizines absent; apothecia when present, on lower surface of marginal lobules
65
Thallus 5–10 cm diam., ±rosette-forming; ascospores simple or 1–3-septate, thin-or thick-walled, colourless or brown; ellipsoidal or oval–ellipsoidal
Thallus large, 5–20(–60) cm diam., spreading; lobes rounded to linear–laciniate; ascospores colourless, fusiform–acicular, 1–3(–7)-septate, wall smooth
67
Terricolous/humicolous; apothecia pink, thalline margin absent; ascospores 1-septate at maturity
Corticolous; apothecia lecanorine with a conspicuous thalline margin; cephalodia absent or present; ascospores simple, the wall often ornamented
Pannaria pr. p.
Thallus pale- to dark-grey or grey-white, not greenish when wet; ascospores of Dirinaria -type
KEY 12 – FRUTICOSE LICHENS
4
Basal crust white, grey or green, isidiate or sorediate; apothecia stalked or sessile, stalks solid not fenestrae; on soil or rock
Basal crust emerald-green; apothecia large, convex, globose to conglomerate, brown, on hollow, ±fenestrate stalks, without soredia or isidia; on rotting wood or overgrowing bryophytes
5
Basal crust grey or green, with or without soredia, without isidia; apothecia convex or plane, with a pale proper margin, pink, orange-pink or reddish, on stalks to subsessile; ascospores 8 per ascus
Basal crust white, isidiate, isidia papillate to columnar; apothecia in fertile verrucae embedded in tips of isidia, white, concolorous with isidia; ascospores 1 per ascus
Pertusaria dactylina
6
Basal crust pale- to mid-green, minutely warted–squamulose, without soredia; podetia simple to 1–4-branched; apothecia clustered, pale-pink to dark reddish brown, with a distinct, concolorous margin
Basal crust grey-white and granular–leprose to yellow-green and corticate, with or without whitish, efflorescent soredia; podetia simple; apothecia pink or orange-pink, capitate or sessile, marginate or immarginate
7
Basidiomata an impermanent yellow, orange or brownish toadstool; basal crust of gelatinous green globules; on damp soil
Basidiomata simple to lacerate or lobed stalks, not a toadstool, white to pale-yellow or ochre-pink, slimy, ±translucent; basal crust bright-green, slimy, translucent when moist; on rotting wood or rock
9
Apothecia expanded, to twice as wide as supporting branch or wider; thalline exciple massive, ±cup-like, coarsely wrinkled–scabrid; disc subconcave to plane; ascospores large, broadly cylindrical–ellipsoidal, muriform, 1–2 per ascus
Apothecia rarely wider than supporting branch; thalline exciple rarely well developed, often obscured by disc that is often convex–subglobose; ascospores narrowly elongate–fusiform, 1–13-septate, 8 per ascus
Stereocaulon
Basal squamules minute, sorediate, granular–furfuraceous; apothecia minute, peltate, clustered, black
12
Primary thallus squamulose, greenish or brownish; prothallus when present pale; secondary thallus blunt, pointed or cup-forming, simple or branched; apothecia red, pale-or dark-brown
Primary thallus nodular–squamulose, greyish white; prothallus black; secondary thallus subterete, simple or sparingly branched; apothecia glossy, black, forming conglomerate clusters
Pycnothelia caliginosa
13
Squamules and pseudopodetia yellow-green (usnic acid present); pseudopodetia ridged, striate or fissured; apothecia yellow-pink or red-brown
Squamules and pseudopodetia pale-green or olive-brown or red-brown, never yellowish (usnic acid absent); pseudopodetia uniformly terete, finger-like, not ridged, striate or fissured; apothecia black
14
Apothecia large (2–6 mm wide) on ventral surface of flattened apices, spathulate, undulate
Thysanothecium
Thallus attached at base by a well-defined holdfast
Ramalina pr. p.
18
Thallus chalky white, worm-like, 1–2 mm wide, and to 5 cm long; C−
Thamnolia vermicularis
Thallus pale olive-green above, dark red-brown to black below, 0.1–0.2 mm wide, 5–10 mm long, matt-forming; C+ red (gyrophoric acid)
19
Thallus repeatedly and intricately branched, without squamules; apices without cups or conspicuous apothecia; consistently and conspicuously perforate (clathrate–fenestrate)
Thallus simple or sparingly branched, often with ±ascending squamules; apices tapered or terminated by cups or sometimes with conglomerate, brown or red apothecia
Thallus yellow-orange, K+ purple
Teloschistes
23
On marine rocks in lower supralittoral zone; tufted, to 5 mm tall, in small colonies 5–10 mm diam., sometimes coalescing to form swards; lobes terete (even towards base), dull olive-brown to black
On dry, steeply sloping to vertical rock walls, periodically inundated in alpine or subalpine habitats, never on marine rocks; lobes flattened, folded–congested, 1–1.5 mm wide and to 4 mm long, attached by a central umbilicus; dark olive-green to olive-brown
24
Basal stalk and holdfast well-defined; pale fawnish or greyish when dry, blue-black when moist, pubescent, terete or in part flattened; upper parts copiously branched–dendroid; always sterile, rarely with attached leaflets of species of green Sticta
"Dendriscocaulon"
Without a well-defined basal stalk or holdfast, broadly attached, cushion-like; branches complex–entangled; apothecia common, disc orange-yellow with a pale, proper margin; ascospores 1–2-septate
Polychidium contortum
Axis tubular
Usnea baileyi
28
Thallus yellow or yellow-green or pale greenish or occasionally suffused red or red-brown, lacking black banding or annulations; apothecial discs yellow to green-yellow
Usnea pr. p.
Thallus yellowish towards base, often blackened or violet-black above, at least at apices, often with conspicuous black banding and annulations; apothecial discs black or blue-black
Usnea sect. Neuropogon
32
Thallus black, grey, often pale straw-coloured or whitish or pinkish towards base; branches with distinct, white, often raised pseudocyphellae (×10 lens); C+ rose-red
Thallus olivaceous, brown or brown-black; branches with or without indistinct, flat or concave pseudocyphellae
35
Thallus large (7–30 cm tall), tree-like; attached by a thick holdfast of brown, branching rhizoids; upper branches spreading–dendroid; isidioid branchlets in fasciculate groups; a canopy species
Sphaerophorus stereocauloides
Thallus smaller (1–10, rarely to 25 cm tall); upper parts not spreading–dendroid; isidioid branchlets scattered, not in fasciculate groups; on tree trunks, never or rarely in canopy branches
36
Apothecia expanded, to twice as wide as supporting branch or wider; thalline exciple massive, ±cup-like, coarsely wrinkled–scabrid; disc subconcave to plane; ascospores large, broadly cylindrical–ellipsoidal, muriform, 1–2 per ascus
Apothecia rarely wider than supporting branch; thalline exciple rarely well-developed, often obscured by disc that is often convex–subglobose; ascospores narrowly elongate–fusiform, 1–13-septate, 8 per ascus
Stereocaulon
Apothecia on elevated fertile branches; ascospores colourless, grey or brown, in a powdery mass (mazedium)
Thallus yellow-green (usnic acid); small, inconspicuous white, linear pseudocyphellae (×10 lens) often present
Ramalina pr. p.
39
Thallus black, mat-forming, entangled; on alpine rocks
Pseudephebe
Thallus pale greenish white, of simple or sparingly branched, short, pale, cartilaginous stalks, densely covered with white or greenish, granular soralia; on lowland and coastal rocks and soil
Upper (dorsal) surface green or grey-green; mazedium present on elevated, fertile ranches; lower (ventral) surface white
42
Terricolous; alpine or subalpine; with a distinct (often delicate) rooting system; aminal pseudocyphellae absent
Corticolous, rarely saxicolous; lowland often coastal in high-light habitats; yellow-green (usnic acid); attached by a basal disc or holdfast but without a distinct rooting system; laminal and marginal, white pseudocyphellae present (×10 lens)
Ramalina pr. p.
43
Thallus laterally compessed; white or tinged bluish, fawn, cream, greenish or reddish; sterile
Siphula
Thallus inflated–terete; red-brown above, fawnish or olivaceous below; fertile; apothecia black, lecideine, terminal
Toninia bullata
44
Thallus brownish red; with narrow, marginal pseudocyphellae; medulla C−
Thallus yellowish brown or greenish or grey-brown; with laminal pseudocyphellae; medulla C+ red
KEY 13 – FOLIICOLOUS LICHENS
Ascospores 2–4 per ascus
Tapellaria phyllophila
5
Cortex present; hymenium I−; hypothecium pigmented (bluish or dark-brown); conidia thread-like, 1-septate
Cortex absent; hymenium I+ blue; hypothecium colourless; conidia simple, pyriform
Sporopodium phyllocharis
9
Photobiont Trentepohlia; without amyloid structures in the ascus apex; ascospores 1-septate, both cells equal
Photobiont not Trentepohlia; ascus apex with amyloid (I+ blue) tholus and tube structures; ascospores 1-septate, one cell larger
10
Photobiont Phycopeltis; perithecium furnished with bundles of whitish hairs; ascospores 15–24 × 6–9.5 μm, distal cell shorter and more rounded
Photobiont not Phycopeltis; perithecia smooth, without hairs
Strigula
Thallus smooth or farinose; cortex absent; apical tholus I+ blue
Sporopodium phyllocharis
Thallus white when dry; marginal prothallus present; apothecial disc epruinose
Gyalectidium cf. palmicola
Thallus areolate; apothecia pink, stalked
Podotara pilophoriformis
Apothecia elongate to angular (triangular or quadrangular), margins of dark tissue that at first covers disc; ascospores 6–8-septate, 13–23 × 5–10 μm
20
Thallus not yellow or orange; apothecial discs rounded to distorted, not lirellate or stellate; ascospores with perispore only when immature
Thallus yellow or orange; apothecial discs lirellate or stellate; ascospores with a perispore at maturity
Apothecial discs orange, pale- to dark-brown; hamathecium of unbranched paraphyses
22
Ascospores ellipsoidal or fusiform, not spirally arranged, with end cell or a media cell larger; apothecial margins concolorous with thallus or absent
Ascospores spirally arranged, acicular, all cells alike; apothecial margins concolorous with disc
Scoliciosporum lividum
Perithecium with moniliform hairs
Porina rubrofusca
Perithecium with projecting bristles
Trichothelium
26
Photobiont Phycopeltis; ascospores 3–7-septate
Porina
Photobiont Trentepohlia; ascospores 9–15-septate
Pocsia dispersa
Pseudocyphellae present on lower surface (rarely on upper surface)
Pseudocyphellaria
Cephalodia present on upper surface
Pannaria (green)
Photobiont green; ascospores (when present) polarilocular, brown
Physcia
Thallus not gelatinous when moist; ascospores simple
Pannaria
Thallus byssoid
Roccellinastrum flavescens
34
Photobiont cyanobacterial; apothecial discs reddish
Polychidium contortum
Photobiont green (Trebouxia); apothecial discs pale greenish yellow
Ramalina
