Melaspilea lentiginosa

Melaspilea lentiginosa

Melaspilea lentiginosa

Authority
(Lyell ex Leight.) M?ll Arg.
Description & Identification

A lichenicolous fungus with the thallus immersed in host lichen. Apothecia are abundant, black, minute, 0.15-0.5 x 0.1-0.2mm, oblong to ellipsoid, slit-like (lirellate). Ascospores 1-septate, sole-shaped, brown.
Weakly parasitic; overgrowing the thallus of the crustose lichen Phaeographis dendritica. In those infected areas of the thallus the apothecia of the Phaeographis are suppressed and in extreme cases may be absent with Melaspilea covering the whole thallus. 

Similar Species

Unlikely to be confused with any other species, the small fleck-like apothecia growing in Phaeographis dendritica is distinctive.

Records from Wales

Confined to the south Pembrokeshire but no other data with the record. The host Phaeographis dendritica is quite local in Wales, any site in Pembrokeshire with large populations should be surveyed.

 

Site

Grid Ref

Last seen

Recorder

Comments

Pembroke

SN00

??

BLS mapping scheme

No other details

 

NBN Taxon Key
NHMSYS0001489300
Account Author
Bryan Edwards