Calicium chlorosporum
| Calicium chlorosporum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Caliciales |
| Family: | Caliciaceae |
| Genus: | Calicium |
| Species: | C. chlorosporum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Calicium chlorosporum | |
Calicium chlorosporum is a crustose lichen that is found growing on trees throughout much of the world.[2]
Morphology[edit]
The lichen has a lichenized life habit. Its thallus is verrucose, areolate or subimmersed, and pale brownish yellow to beige in color.[2]
The apothecia are 0.75-1.1 mm high and 6-9 times as high as the width of the stalk. The stalk is shining black or has a brownish pruina in the uppermost part, is rather thick at 0.8-0.16 mm in diameter, and consists of dark greenish brown, sclerotized, and irregularly interwoven, 2-3 μm thick hyphae. The outermost part of the stalk is pale brown and surrounded by a 2-4 μm thick, hyaline, I-, gelatinous coat.[2]
The capitulum is broadly obconical to lenticular, black, and has a brownish or sometimes bright yellow pruina on the lower side, measuring 0.29-0.45 mm in diameter. The mazaedium has a faint yellow pruina, particularly in young ascomata. The exciple is densely interwoven and heavily sclerotized, and the hypothecium has a flat upper surface, is dark brown, and has reticulately interwoven hyphae.[2]
The asci are cylindrical, with uniseriate or slightly overlapping spores that are 33-36 x 3.5-4.5 μm. The ascospores are ellipsoid, distinctly ornamented with spirally arranged ridges and a few irregular cracks, and measure 10.5-12.5 x 5-6 μm.[2]
Chemistry[edit]
Spot tests show the thallus is K+ yellow turning red or K-, C-, P+ yellow, UV+ intensely yellow or dull (varying amounts of xanthones). The brown pruina is K+ violet-red, with feather-like crystals. All parts of the apothecia are I-.[2]
The thallus contains the secondary metabolites placodiolic acid, +norstictic acid, and unidentified xanthones.[2]
Ecology and distribution[edit]
Calicium chlorosporum grows on the bark of Jatropha at low, coastal elevations. Its known distribution includes Africa, North America, Central America, South America, and Australasia, with a record from Baja California in the Sonoran region.[2]