Rhizocarpon polycarpum is distinguished from other brown Rhizocarpon species by the combination of hyaline 1-septate spores, dark brown epithecium and I+ blue medulla. The epithecium usually appears purple-red in a microscopic slide.
It is a holoarctic pioneer species growing on hard siliceous rocks. It can be found on pebbles, boulder screes or vertical rock walls, from hills to high mountains. In the Czech Republic, the lichen grows in all the border mountains and in the Brdy and Českomoravská vrchovina highlands. It is usually abundant at higher elevations and absent from warmer areas.
taxonomic classification:Ascomycota → Lecanoromycetes → Rhizocarpales → Rhizocarpaceae → Rhizocarpon
Red List (Liška & Palice 2010):LC – least concern
Occurrence in the Czech Republic
All records: 89, confirmed 82. One click on a selected square displays particular record(s), including their source(s).