Quite a conspicuous crustose terricolous species and one of the few textbook examples of a lichen with bipolar distribution. In addition to the northern boreal and subarctic regions of Eurasia and North America, it is also known from subantarctic regions of New Zealand, southern Chile and islands near Antarctica (Hafellner 1997). Due to its orange parietin-containing apothecia (K+ purple), it resembles certain species of Caloplaca s. lat., but differs in asci containing a single multicellular spore (48–100 × 24–55 μm). Its pale verrucose thallus contains atranorin (K+ yellow). B. fuscolutea grows on bryophytes, low plants and humus in natural open tundra and alpine habitats. Surprisingly, it does not grow in the Alps. There is a single historical record from the Czech Republic: upper edges of the Obří důl or Úpská jáma glacial cirques in the Krkonoše Mts (Flotow 1825). Thus, it is considered extinct.
Literature: Flotow [J.] v. (1825): Aus einem Brieflichen Bericht des Hrn. Rittmeisters von Flotow an Hrn. Prof. Hornschuch. – Flora (Regensburg) 8: 321–327 & 337–350. Hafellner J. (1997): A world monograph of Brigantiaea (lichenized Ascomycotina, Lecanorales). – Symbolae Botanicae Upsalienses 32/1: 35–74.
taxonomic classification:Ascomycota → Lecanoromycetes → Teloschistales → Brigantieaceae → Brigantiaea
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