Description: This epiphytic lichen forms grey crusts on old, rough-barked trees spotted with small heaps of paler, blue-grey soralia, these sometimes merging to give bigger patches. The soredia turn bright yellow with a dab of Potassium hydroxide (K). It is also Pd + orange. The blue-grey soralia against the paler grey of the thallus is surprisingly distinctive. Discs are rare. It is usually associated with older, established woodlands and amongst ecologists is highly regarded as a good indicator of habitat stability. Western Ireland; scattered elsewhere.

Key Identification Features:

• Pale grey, minutely ‘bubbly’ crust, splashed with heaps of blue-green soredia that are K + bright yellow (a reaction not typical of other bark crusts)
• On rough bark (for example, oaks) in old woodlands; Mycoblastus caesius is near to it but never has soredia in ‘heaps’ and is K-.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

Distribution Map from NBN: Loxospora elatina s. lat. at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Loxospora elatina s. lat. at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.