Phaeophyscia hirsuta (Mereschk.) Essl.

    Thallus foliose, forming irregular rosettes, 3-4 cm across, lobate, lobes more or less intertwined, 0.5-1 mm wide, tightly appressed, upper surface ash grey to brown grey with granular soredia turning to labriform soralia, flat or seldom capitate (N.B. Their morpphology is highly variable, including within the same specimen, and cannot be used to discriminate between species), greenish when moist, whitish when dry, and with cilia, characteristic of this species, notably towards lobe apices: short (50-150 µm markedly visible under magnifying lens) stiff and easily broken, hyaline to whitish; lower surface blackish with simple rhizines, stiff, black with sometimes whitish apices. Apothecia usually scarce, sometimes absent, sessile, 0.5-2 mm diam., thalline exciple entire, thick, with cilia attached to the lower surface, disc flat, dark brown. Asci 8-spored, 60-80 x 20-25 µm according to our measures. Ascopores ellipsoid, dark brown, 1-septate, 15-25 x 8-12 µm according to literature and 20-26 x 8-11 according to our measures. Photobiont: trebouxioid. Chemical spot tests negative. Mediterranean species, uncommon, on bark of deciduous isolated trees or sparse woodlands. N.B. This species belongs to the Phaeophyscia orbicularis group which is characterized by minute whitish cilia, Phaeophyscia ciliaris, less thermophilic species has minute cilia but no soralia.