Physconia distorta (With.) J. R. Laundon
Data Set Maintenance: Data set compiled. Data set author(s): Helms G.
Nomenclature: Current taxonomic status: accepted. Taxonomic rank: species. Physconia. Physciaceae Zahlbr. (1898); Lecanorineae; Lecanorales.
Type Information: Basionym: Physconia pulverulacea.
Taxonomic Literature: Purvis et al., Nat. His. Museum Pub:71 (1992).
Biogeography: Cosmopolitan; colline, submontane, montane, and upper montane. Continent: Africa, Asia-Temperate, Europe, and Northern America. Checklist records: Australia, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden and Norway, and United States and Canada (continental).
Ecology: Biotroph; lichenized; corticolous (in nutrient rich locations) or saxicolous; episubstratic; growing sun-exposed; under conditions which are dry; substrate calciferous.
Thallus: Foliose, not subdivided or subdivided into main parts, irregular, continuous throughout, lobed; lobes horizontal; branches applanate (moderately flattened); imbricate (usually only in the thallus centre); separate thallus parts long, wide. Thallus Size and Differentiation: 10-(15) cm in diameter; apex not distinctly broader than average; not curved; rounded. Thallus Outline: Orbicular; margin brighter than disk (due to pruina) the thallus centre; soon disappearing. Upper Surface: Grey (to dark brown) or brown; pruinose (atleast towards the tips); pruina abundant; whitish; continuous; eciliate; without hairs; not isidate; not sorediate; not blastidiate; not schizidiate; not lobulate. Lower Surface: Present, black in the centre, pale brown along the margin, loosely attached attached; attached by holdfasts; rhizinate; rhizines central, abundant, black; not sorediate.
Photobiont Layer: Single-layered.
Reproduction Strategy: With sexual (and possible asexual) stages. Ascocarps: Orbicular, forming in the thallus centre, substipitate, slightly constricted or strongly constricted at the base, abundant, up to 5 mm in diam.. Margin: Lecanorine, lobulate, persistent, prominent; not isidiate; not ciliate; not hirsute. Disk: Excavate to plane; black or grey-blue; pruinose, pruina abundant, pale grey.
Ascospores: Physconia-type, 25-38 µm long, 13-20 µm wide.
Conidia: 5-7 µm long; 1-1.5 µm wide.
Spot Tests: Cortex: KC –, – medulla: K – C –, KC –, PD –.
(report generated 13.Nov.2007)
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