Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Acarospora thelococcoides

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Kingdom
  
Fungi

Class
  
Lecanoromycetes

Family
  
Acarosporaceae

Rank
  
Species

Division
  
Ascomycota

Order
  
Acarosporales

Genus
  
Acarospora

Similar
  
Acarospora thamnina, Acarospora socialis, Acarospora schleicheri, Acarospora fuscata, Acarosporaceae

Acarospora thelococcoides is a pruinose (dusty whitish) verruculose (warty) crustose lichen that grows in patches up to 10 cm across that grows on soil (terricolous), especially soils made from decomposed granite. It grows from San Benito, California to Baja California, and inland to 930 metres (3,050 ft). Each roundish areole becomes more pruinose toward the top with has a single round apothecium (or none) that is immersed with a dark brown disc, so as to appear like a collection of white rings. This appearance gives it the common name, soil eyes lichen.

The asci are saccate, with variable numbers of globose ascospores. Lichen spot tests are all negative, and it is UV-. It is an indicator of undisturbed soil habitats.

References

Acarospora thelococcoides Wikipedia