Caloplaca suaedae O. L. Gilbert & Coppins

    Thallus crustose, oval to circular, 0.5-1 cm across, composed of minute convex scales, apparently areolate (reptile skin-like), grey-greenish when moist, more pale greyish when dry, scattered with minute yellow dots (pycnidia), prothallus ill-defined, dark green, brown-green. Apothecia sometimes numerous, 0.2-0.5 mm diam., disc plane, then convex, yellow when shaded, yellow-orange to orange when more lit, exciple pale yellow, persistent and becoming greyish, inconspicuous when old. Ascii 40-50 x 12-20 µm according to our measures, 8-spored. Ascopsores colourless, rather broadly ellipsoid, straight to slightly curved, 12-14 x 4.5-5 µm, septum 3.5-5 µm according to literature, 11-14 x 4-6 µm according to our measures. Thallus K-, apothecia K+ purple. Rare and strictly restricted to its very peculiar habitat at the base of old branches of Suaeda vera of  sandy or silty salt meadows at the limit of high level of spring tides, and in our prospection areas mainly at the end of rias and abers. Also mentioned on bark of other ligneous plants in the same littoral habitat.