Normandina pulchella (Borrer) Nyl.

    Thallus squamulose, squamules to 1-5 mm diam., more or less scattered on the substratum, sometimes confluent, rounded, margins upturned (ear-like lobes), green glaucous, green-blue, white-greenish, upper surface with concentric ribs and often, soredia, green-yellowish, developing from margins. Fertile form rare, and apparently limited to our region in very humid oceanic woodlands. Perithecia arranged towards the center of the squamule, globular immersed in the thallus and leaving only the ostiole on the surface, black. Asci with very fragile walls disappearing when ripe, releasing the spores which remain for a long time grouped in clusters. Spores broadly elliptical to fusiform, 6-7 septate, hyaline, 25-35 x 6-9 µm according to the literature, 27-40 x 6-8 µm according to our measurements. Photobiont: Trebouxia. Chemical spot tests negative. Not especially maritime but rather common on mosses (notably Frullania) of trees or rocks near the seashore, but also on other lichens.

N.B. The existence of fruiting bodies (perithecia) has for long been disputed and mistaken with parasite fungi under the name of Sphaerulina chlorococca (Leight.) R. Sant., but the actual parasites are in fact rarely found, but see : Cladophialophora normandinae..

N.B. Hyperoceanic and tropical specimen with well developed perithecia have been designated as Launderlindsaya borreri (L. R. Tulasne) David & Hawksworth which currently is considered as synonymous of Normandina pulchella.