A lichen forming quite conspicuous black thalli composed of minute filaments containing an alga of the genus Trentepohlia. Fruiting bodies and pycnidia are not known. It can reliably be identified microscopically, based on irregular and strongly wrinkled filament surface. The surface distinguishes it from a similar Racodium rupestre, which it often grows together with. Cystocoleus ebeneus is the only species of the genus and the family.
It grows on shaded vertical to overhanging rocks, at places protected from direct rainfall. It prefers acidic silicates at climatically stable and usually humid sites. The species occurs all over the world. In Europe, it is rarer only in the Mediterranean. In the Czech Republic, C. ebeneus is locally abundant in river valleys, sandstone rock formations and certain mountain ranges with an abundance of rock substrates.
taxonomic classification:Ascomycota → Dothideomycetes → Capnodiales → Cystocoleaceae → Cystocoleus
Red List (Liška & Palice 2010):NT – near threatened
Occurrence in the Czech Republic
All records: 193, confirmed 46. One click on a selected square displays particular record(s), including their source(s).