Description: This crustose species occurs commonly on hard calcareous substrates including artificial surfaces such as patios and paving, so is not infrequent in town gardens. It consists of greenish-grey, scattered, rounded areoles (little islands of thallus resembling jigsaw pieces) which sometimes coalesce to form spreading colonies. Each areole will support between one and three discs, some of which appear glazed and partially open like a chameleon’s eye. All concrete drives and patios should have it.

Key Identification Features:

• It is unlikely to be confused with other species as it has a thallus consisting of delimited areoles that are usually white-frosted
• The greenish-grey almost squinting discs are distinctive.

Original text submitted by Simon Davey

Distribution Map from NBN: Aspicilia contorta at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Aspicilia contorta at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.