Lichens marins - Sparria endlicheri (Garov.) Ertz & Tehler = Arthonia endlicheri (Garov.) Oxner

Sparria endlicheri (Garov.) Ertz & Tehler

= Arthonia endlicheri (Garov.) Oxner

Synonyms:

Arthonia endlicheri (Garov.) Oxner

Opegrapha endlicheri Garov.

Family: OPEGRAPHACEAE

Habitat: Aerohaline zone

Description

Thallus very irregular, thin to thick, more or less bumpy or strongly wrinkled, pinkish-white when fresh with occasional greenish or greyish tones, becoming pale greyish-brown with lilacin tints with age or drying, quickly covering from the center with soredia 50-100 µm in diameter, pink at first then ochre-pink and finally pale brownish; these soredia can be very large and form thick thick pads that split and crack at the end. This thallus, if it is young and very fresh, is often bordered by a more or less brownish +/- zoned hypothallus. Apothecia very rare, rounded or elongated, disk powdery whitish. Spores long ovoid, 3-5 times septate, 14-20 x 5-7 µm. Inconspicuous pycnidia. C+ red, K-, KC+ red, Pd-. Rare species (or going unnoticed because unspectacular) occuring in the crevices of the rocks, the cavities of the old walls, etc. (typically in covered fountains and the megalithic covered walkways on the seaside in Brittany!).

N.B. There is a form with less abundant soredia on the seaside in areas subject to seawater splashes and spray, see: Sparria endlicheri forme maritime.

N.B. There is also a non-maritime taxon coming further inland, very bumpy and brownish: Sparria endlicheri Non-maritime taxon.

N.B. The presence of apothecia is sometimes questioned by certain authors who consider that it would be those of a parasite and indeed this species is very often parasitized.

N.B. This species, looking like Lepraria, is very easy to confuse with certain forms of Dirina massiliensis f. sorediata and in certain cases only the chemical analysis will make it possible to differentiate the two species (Sparria (Arthonia) endichleri does not have erythrin) however Dirina massiliensis f. sorediata mostly grows on walls or more rarely on less acid rocks, its thallus is less thick, more pink (presence of erythrin), its soredia are smaller, gray or bluish-grey and it has no pycnidia ( but this distinction is sometimes difficult to make in the field!).

N.B. Species of Sclerophytetum circumscriptae (in particular its maritime form) frequently associated with Llimonea sorediata with black hypothallus and Peterjamesia circumscripta but also with certain forms of Dirina massiliensis f. sorediata.