A variable crustose lichen with smooth to verrucose thalli and well-delimited soralia, sometimes confluent later, containing lecanoric acid (C+ red). At exposed sites, it often also contains lichexanthones (Tønsberg 1992). Soredia might be completely absent when richly fertile. Apothecia are almost always present, inconspicuous, formed in thalline verrucules. Asci contain a single gigantic one-septate spore.
This arctic-alpine species grows on acidic soil, humus, plant debris, dying bryophytes and also at the bases of shrubs and trees in the northern areas. In central Europe, it is most commonly found above the upper tree line in the mountains. The majority of the records come from the Alps. In the Czech Republic, it used to be repeatedly recorded in the Krkonoše Mts in the past (see the Vězda & Liška 1999 catalogue) where var. sudetica characterized by richly fertile thalli without soredia was described (Erichsen 1936). Recent published records are missing but it has been found at cold screes in the Šumava Mts (Palice & Vondrák, unpubl.) on Mt Keprník (Hrubý Jeseník Mts).
Literature: Erichsen C. F. E. (1936): Pertusariaceae. – In: Rabenhorsts Kryptogamenflora, 2nd IX., Abt. 5 (1), p. 319–728, Leipzig. Tønsberg T. (1992): The sorediate and isidiate, corticolous, crustose lichens in Norway. – Sommerfeltia 14: 1–331.
taxonomic classification:Ascomycota → Lecanoromycetes → Pertusariales → Ochrolechiaceae → Varicellaria
Red List (Liška & Palice 2010):RE – extinct
Red List (Malíček 2023):C1 – critically endangered
Occurrence in the Czech Republic
All records: 1, confirmed 1. One click on a selected square displays particular record(s), including their source(s).