Pseudocyphellaria multifida

Detailed description

Thallus small, delicate, entangled-complicate, spreading, 5(-10) cm diam. Lobes complexly branched, entangled-imbricate, narrow, 1-3 mm wide and 4-10 mm long, di- or trichotomously branching at centre, becoming narrower and ± lobulate-phyllidiate at margins, sinuses semicircular. Upper surface bright lettuce-green when wet, pale yellowish-green or fawn when dry, shining, smooth, very slightly faveolate or wrinkled, uneven, without soredia, isidia, maculae or pseudocyphellae. Medulla white. Photobiont green. Lower surface glabrous, white, shining at margins, yellowish-brown, ± costate centrally, thinly tomentose centrally, tomentum pale buff, thin, rather ragged. Pseudocyphellae minute, fleck-like, white, punctiform, conspicuous at or near lobe margins, flat, immarginate. Apothecia submarginal or laminal, sparse to frequent, sessile to subpedicellate, disc pale yellowish-red or brownish, 2-4 mm diam., smooth, matt, plane or subconcave, margins pale flesh-coloured, inflexed at first, becoming crenulate-dentate, thalline exciple pale, verrucose-areolate. Ascospores colourless to pale brown, oblong-fusiform, 1-3-septate, 22-30 × 7-9 µm.

Chemistry: 7β-acetoxyhopan-22-ol, hopane-7β,22-diol (tr.), hopane-15α,22-diol.