Hypotrachyna Lichen

Hypotrachyna croceopustulata

Parmelia croceopustulata Kurokawa in Hale and Kurokawa, 1964:169. [Type collection: Grandfather Mountain, Avery County, North Carolina, Imshaug 22275 (MSC, holotype; US, isotype).]

Thallus closely adnate to bark, whitish mineral gray, 4–8 cm in diameter; lobes sublinear, becoming crowded, 1.5–3.5 mm in width; upper surface plane to rugulose, sorediate-pustulate, the soralia coarse and coalescing, mostly laminal, the medulla below often yellow ochre in color; lower surface moderately rhizinate. Apothecia rare, adnate, 1–6 mm in diameter; mature spores lacking.

CHEMISTRY.—Cortex K+ yellow, medulla K−, C−, P+ orange-red (atranorin, protocetraric acid, and rhodophyscin).

DISTRIBUTION.—Southeastern United States, Mexico, West Indies.

HABITAT.—On conifers (Abies, Picea, Pinus) in open forests at 1400–2000 m elevation.