This tiny lichen is characterised by the substrate-adhered thallus and miniscule or completely missing rhizines in which, beside others, it differs from the tiny juvenile forms of the similar and common Phaeophyscia orbicularis. It occurs epiphytically on a variety of deciduous trees in partly shaded to sun-exposed habitats, usually within nitrophilous lichen communities. In the past, the species was collected also from pine bark. Its saxicolous occurrence is linked to various siliceous rocks and extrusive igneous rocks, both acidic and basic. It seeks for vertical to slightly overhanging, partly shaded rocks, usually in deep river valleys.
Hyperphyscia adglutinata is rather rare in central Europe. Its centre of distribution is mainly the Mediterranean. In the Czech Republic, the species occurs sparsely in the warmer regions. It declined during the second half of the 20th century in reaction to substrate acidification. The populations growing on rocks in river valleys have persisted. In the last decades, the lichen is slowly spreading in the country and currently may be seen even in Prague. A new species, Hyperphyscia lucida van der Pluijm, has been recently described from the Netherlands and its occurrence in the Czech Republic is possible.
Literature: Vondrák J. & Liška J. (2010): Changes in distribution and substrate preferences of selected threatened lichens in the Czech Republic. – Biologia 65: 595–602.
taxonomic classification:Ascomycota → Lecanoromycetes → Caliciales → Physciaceae → Hyperphyscia
All records: 89, confirmed 87. One click on a selected square displays particular record(s), including their source(s).