Physconia distorta (With.) J. R. Laundon var. distorta

    Thallus foliose, more or less rosette-shaped, lobes radiating, tightly appressed to the substratum, sometimes with small lobes towards the center, slightly palmate, 0.5-3 mm wide, upper surface without pseudocyphella, grey, greyish, brownish when dry, more greenish when moist, white pruine mostly towards the edges that appear fringed with white, lower surface very pale brown near the margin, darker in the center with numerous bottle-brush-like rhizines. Apothecia usually numerous, 3-5 mm diam., disc brown to dark brown possibly withish owing to pruine, exciple thick, sometimes slightly lobate, concolourous to the thallus (if there are numerous foliose lobes, daisy flower-like, see Physconia distorta var. subvenusta). Ascospores brown, pill-shaped, thick walls, 1-septate, thick septum, 25-38 x 12-20 µm. Pycnidia frequent. Cortex and medulla : C-, K-, KC-, P-. Common on nutrient-rich mossy tree trunks, and less frequently on mossy rocks.

N.B. There is a thermophilic form formed of lobes very cut into strips, not overlapping and very pruinose, see: Physconia distorta forme thermophile.