Key to squamulose lichens

1a Perithecia present---2 1b Apothecia present, or fruitbodies absent---6 2a Ascospores simple or transversely septate---3 2b Ascospores muriform---4 3a Ascospores simple; no algae present in hymenium---Catapyrenium 3b Ascospores transversely septate; no algae present in hymenium (perithecia rare)--Normandina 4a Algae present in hymenium; cortical cells of thallus smooth-walled---Endocarpon 4b Algae absent in hymenium; cortical cells of thallus finely papilose (in microscopical section)---5 5a Photobiont green---Agonimia 5b Photobiont blue-green---Psoroglaena 6a (1) Squamules rounded, whitish with raised margin, ca. 1 mm diam.; fruit bodies absent (perithecia)---Normandina 6b Squamules usually elongated and greenish, without raised margin---7 7a Algae blue-green---8 7b Algae green---13 8a Thallus gelatinous, without distinct cortex and medulla, with smooth surface---see separate key for Lichinaceae 8b Thallus gelatinous, without distinct cortex and medulla, with papillose hyphae on the upper surface and sorediate below; subfruticose squamules c. 1-2 mm long--Acantholichen 8c Thallus not gelatinous, heteromerous, with distinct cortex and medulla---9 9a Thallus dark brown to black, on sunny rocks---Peltula 9b Like a, on bark---Phyllopeltula 9c Thallus blue-grey to brown, epiphytic, terrestrial or on shady rock---10 10a Thallus with distinct, often tomentose, prothallus; apothecia with or without thalline margin---Parmeliella 10b Thallus without prothallus; apothecia always with thalline margin---11 11a Apothecial margin with green algae; ascospores bicellular, brown---Solorina 11b Apothecial margin with blue-green algae; ascospores simple, hyaline---12 11c Apothecial margin without algae; ascospores simple, hyaline---Coccocarpia 12a Asci with I+ blue apical plug; thallus usually brownish; southward to Mexico?; with white spots on lobe margins---Fuscopannaria

12b Asci without I+ blue apical plug; thallus usually blue-grey; widespread and polymorphic---Pannaria 13a (7) Upper surface of squamules byssoid, lacking cortex---14 13b Upper surface of squamules more or less smooth, with cortex, sometimes pruinose---15 14a Epiphytic; thallus squamules connected into rosette-like thalli, algiferous--Crocynia 14b On algae-covered earth of banks, or on mosses on similar places; "thallus squamules" widely scattered, without algae (basidiocarps)---Cyphellostereum 15a Tomentose prothallus present---16 15b No tomentose prothallus---19 16a Squamules with an upper and lower cortex comprised of a thin layer of cubic cells---Eschatogonia 16b Squamule cortex otherwise, lower cortex usually absent---17 17a Apothecium margin concolorous with thallus, containing algae---Physcidia 17b Apothecium margin not concolorous with thallus, without algae---18 18a Ascospores generally over 25 m, transversely many-septate---Squamacidia 18b Ascospores generally under 25 m, simple or one-septate---Phyllopsora 19a (15) Thallus yellow to orange---20 19b Thallus pale grey to greenish grey or somewhat brownish---23 20a Thallus K+ dark violet---21 20b Thallus K- or K+ weakly reddish---22 21a Thallus lobes ascending, c. 2 mm long, convex; medulla yellow; apothecia black, globose---Xanthopsorella 21b Thallus lobes mostly applanate and restricted to thallus margin; medulla white; apothecia shades of yellow to red, usually flat---Caloplaca 22a Apothecia lecanorine, yellow; on rock---Candelina 22b Apothecia lecideine, black; on soil---Psora 23a (19) On soil---24 23b Epiphytic, occasionally on rock---29 23c On rock---37 24a Squamules whitish grey on both sides, elongate and erect; ascocarps unknown---25 24b Squamules more pale on lower side, more or less appressed to substrate; ascocarps often present (when ascocarps absent, see also under dimorphic lichens with squamulose primary thallus, couplet 15)---26 25a Cortical cells of thallus finely papillose; squamules delicate, lacerate---Agonimia 25b Cortical cells of thallus not papillose; squamules thick, crenate---Siphula

26a Ascospores simple---27 26b Ascospores transversely septate; apothecia lecideine---Toninia (s.l.) 27a Apothecia lecanorine---Psoroma 27b Apothecia lecideine---28 28a Thallus without soralia---Psora 28b Thallus with labriform soralia---Trapeliopsis 29a (23) Squamules whitish grey on both sides, erect; ascocarps unknown; on old tree trunks---30 29b Squamules greenish or brownish above, pale below---31 30a Cortical cells of thallus finely papillose; squamules delicate, lacerate---Agonimia 30b Cortical cells of thallus not papillose; squamules thick, crenate---Siphula 31a Squamules very elongated, to c. 15 x 1 mm; ascocarps unknown---Pseudohepatica 31b Squamules rounded to moderately elongate and more or less incised, mostly under 5 mm long---32 32a Thallus thin, corticate with a thin layer of cubic cells on both sides---Eschatogonia 32b Thallus without such cortex---33 33a Ascospores simple---34 33b Ascospores transversely septate---36 34a Thallus C+ red, with labriform soralia---Hypocenomyce 34b Thallus C-, without or with capitate soralia---35 35a Apothecia lecanorine---Psoroma 35b Apothecia biatorine---"Biatora" s.l. 36a Ascospores acicular---Bacidiopsora 36b Ascospores fusiform to bacillar---Psorella 37a (23) Ascospores with many in each ascus, usually under 10 m long---Acarospora 37b Ascospores 8 in each ascus, usually over 20 m long---Placopsis
page editor: Harrie Sipman, last update: 14 June 2005, imprint http://www.bgbm.org/sipman/keys/neokeyE.htm