Arthonia patellulata
A relatively recently discovered lichen found in the distinctive lichen assemblage found on Aspen in sub-oceanic Scotland, where it is found on the smooth bark of Aspen branches.
Thallus very thin, grey-white; photobiont chlorococcoid. Apothecia rounded, black, 0.3–0.7 mm diam.; epithecium grey-green to pale brown; hymenium 40–60 μm tall, grey to yellow-green, I+ red; hypothecium black. Ascospores 1-septate, 9–15 × 3–5 μm, colourless. Lichen products not known.
Probably a member of the Bryostigma clade according to Frisch et al. (2014).
On smooth bark of branches of Aspen and often closely associated with Myriolecis populicola.
Locally frequent, eastern Scottish Highlands (Cairngorms, N.E. Scotland).
A very localised species found in a specialised scarce habitat, Aspen stands in north east Scotland.
Britain: Near Threatened
Scotland: Priority Taxon for Biodiversity in Scotland
Cannon, P., Ertz, D., Frisch, A., Aptroot, A., Chambers, S., Coppins, B. J., Sanderson, N. A., Simkin, J. & Wolseley, P. (2020) Revisions of British and Irish Lichens Volume 1 August 2020 Arthoniales: Arthoniaceae. BLS
Frisch, A., Thor, G., Ertz, D. & Grube, M. (2014). The Arthonialean challenge: restructuring Arthoniaceae.
Taxon 63: 727–744.
Text by Neil A Sanderson, based on Cannon et al (2020)