THALLUS: fruticose, broadly-branched, brilliant golden-orange
APOTHECIA: orange, with abundant eyelash-like cilia
SPORES: polarilocular, hyaline
CHEMISTRY: pigment K+ deep wine red (parietin, an anthraquinone)
Frequent in mediterranean regions worldwide.
Common Name: Gold-Eye Lichen or Eyed Orange-Bush
Brilliant golden-orange bushy lichen with ciliate orange apothecia.
On branches of coastal hardwood forests up to 600m. Prefers bright sunny locations with periodic moisture such as from morning fog.
The broad ridged branches and big ciliate dish-like apothecia of the typical form are unmistakable. T. contortuplicatus is similar in shape, but apparently less orange, or at least only orange in places. In North America, it occurs in the intermontane region.
