Lichen: Caloplaca ceracea
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Name: Caloplaca ceracea J.R.Laundon
Caloplaca ceracea showing the off-white thallus lacking a clearly defined prothallus.
Caloplaca ceracea apothecia: note the large rim in the younger smaller apothecia and the narrower rim on the larger mature ones.
Pronunciation: Caloplaca ceracea
Conservation Evaluation: Least Concern
Body Type: Crustose
Description: The orange coloured apothecia are small, reaching a maximum size of just 1 mm. They frequently occur in clusters, although some may be scattered across the pale coloured thallus. A distinct prothallus is usually absent. It is easy to confuse it with Caloplaca crenularia so look carefully for the distinguishing features: C. ceracea apothecia look waxy when wet; the discs are orange-brown and pruinose. Apothecia have a layer of green algal cells under the disc; this can be seen if the apothecia is cut and viewed with a 20x hand lens or under a microscope. Ascospores are ellipsoid, 13-15 x 8 µm with a septum about a third the way up its length and 3-5 µm wide. The disc is K positive purple or violet-red; the thallus is K negative. The tips of the paraphyses are a little swollen.
Caloplaca ceracea showing the apothecia in section. Note the green algal layer running under the apothecia. This distinguishes it from Caloplaca crenularia.
Chemical Tests: K+ crimson.
Nature Notes: Found on silica-rich coastal rocks in the mid to upper shore. It is rare inland. Found on the West, North and North-West coast of Ireland. Caloplaca ceracea is rare on the south coast where this specimen was recorded and photographed.
Caloplaca ceracea spores.
Vice County distribution map of Caloplaca ceracea: See Map
Link: Map this species on the Lichen Survey
Other species recorded in Ireland:
- Caloplaca alociza (A.Massal.) Mig.
- Caloplaca arenaria (Pers.) Müll.Arg.
- Caloplaca atroflava (Turner) Mong.
- Caloplaca aurantia (Pers.) Hellb.
- Caloplaca britannica R.Sant.
- Caloplaca cerina (Ehrh. ex Hedw.) Th.Fr.
- Caloplaca cerinella (Nyl.) Flagey
- Caloplaca chalybaea (Fr.) Müll.Arg.
- Caloplaca chlorina (Flot.) H.Olivier
- Caloplaca cirrochroa (Ach.) Th.Fr.
- Caloplaca citrina (Hoffm.) Th.Fr.
- Caloplaca concilians (Nyl.) H.Olivier
- Caloplaca crenularia (With.) J.R.Laundon
- Caloplaca crenulatella (Nyl.) H.Olivier
- Caloplaca dalmatica (A.Massal.) H.Olivier
- Caloplaca decipiens (Arnold) Blomb. & Forssell
- Caloplaca ferruginea (Huds.) Th.Fr.
- Caloplaca flavescens (Huds.) J.R.Laundon
- Caloplaca flavocitrina (Nyl.) H.Olivier
- Caloplaca flavorubescens (Huds.) J.R.Laundon
- Caloplaca flavovirescens (Wulfen) Dalla Torre & Sarnth.
- Caloplaca holocarpa (Hoffm.) A.E.Wade
- Caloplaca lactea (A.Massal.) Zahlbr.
- Caloplaca littorea Tav.
- Caloplaca luteoalba (Turner) Th.Fr.
- Caloplaca marina (Wedd.) Zahlbr. ex Du Rietz
- Caloplaca maritima de Lesd.
- Caloplaca microthallina (Wedd.) Zahlbr.
- Caloplaca obliterans (Nyl.) Blomb. & Forssell
- Caloplaca obscurella (Lahm ex Körb.) Th.Fr.
- Caloplaca ochracea (Schaer.) Flagey
- Caloplaca polycarpa (A.Massal.) Zahlbr.
- Caloplaca saxicola (Hoffm.) Nordin
- Caloplaca teicholyta (Ach.) J.Steiner
- Caloplaca thallincola (Wedd.) Du Rietz
- Caloplaca ulcerosa Coppins & P James
- Caloplaca variabilis (Pers.) Müll.Arg.
- Caloplaca verruculifera (Vain.) Zahlbr.
Text & Images Copyright Paul Whelan, 2008: