Description: As one of the smallest of Ireland’s ‘grey-zone’ seashore lichens, you would expect this plant to require some searching. However, with the larger lichen crusts forever competing for space, it is L. fugiens which often finds you. Typically, it occurs as pale-yellow or yellow-brown rounded granules forming a snail-trail of micro-confetti down the face of sea-cliff rocks between and among other species. The discs (0.3-3.0mm diam.) which develop from these granules are yellow-brown but are often reddened, and have white margins that do not reduce with age. The discs are frequently glazed with pruina. Spot tests C+ orange and Pd+ orange will help to confirm it. Throughout Ireland.

Key Identification Features:

• Small yellowy granules forming a loose trail down the face of sea-cliff rocks with reddish-brown, pruinose discs
• Tests: C+ orange, Pd + orange.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

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

iNaturalist: Myriolecis fugiens at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.