Parmelia serrana Cf. A. Crespo, M.C. Molina & Hawksw.

      Foliaceous thallus 5-12 cm in diameter, more or less attached to its substrate, formed of lobes, with a rounded and not truncated apex, 2-4 (6) mm, imbricated, especially towards the center of the thallus, one within the other. Upper surface shiny, crossed by a network of whitish pseudocyphellae which can take on a sorediate appearance with age, covered, especially towards the center and on the crests of the network, with small cylindrical isidia, simple and rarely forked, 0.2-0.8 mm in height, the general coloration is very pale gray, very pale greenish-gray. Underside blackish with simple, black rhizines. Apothecia rare, lecanorine, sessile, 1-4 mm in diameter, concave, brownish disc, isidiate margin. Simple, hyaline, elliptical spores, 16-18 x 11-13 µm. Cortex: C-, K+ yellow then reddish, KC-, P+/- yellow, UV-; medulla: C-, K+ yellow then red, KC-, P+ red-orange. Mediterranean species with mountain tendencies, found on conifer bark and sometimes on mossy rocks.

N.B. Very similar to Parmelia saxatilis and can only be identified with certainty by DNA analysis. Since this analysis has not been performed, we therefore present this species with the usual caveats.

N.B. Parmelia saxatilis and Parmelia ernstiae are UV+ bright purple.