Description: This almost black, minutely tufted lichen with cylindrical lobes occurs where there is periodic wetting of hard calcareous rock. The habitats most favourable for this species are the water-filled depressions in limestone pavement; these act as catchment sites. As water slowly evaporates from these basins, the tiny cushions (0.5-3mm diam.) dry out, sometimes becoming very brittle, a phenomenon also seen in the ‘jelly lichens’ Collema. As there are several lookalikes, a candidate specimen will require close attention. In L. botryosum the ends of the lobes should appear hardly swollen. Western Ireland on natural limestone.

Key Identification Features:

• Green-black, minutely tufted, cushion-forming, rubbery-gelatinous species of watery depressions in limestone rock
• Thallus is a bundle of cylindrical lobes, the exposed end hardly swollen.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

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

iNaturalist: Synalissina botryosa at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.