Description: On the non-siliceous rocky shores of western Ireland there is a good chance of finding this crustose lichen where woodlands stray out to colonise the sea cliffs. P. leucophaea will occupy sheltered rock where it can form thick, cracked crusts of tightly-packed squamules. The squamules (grey-brown, often flecked paler at the tips) often support an abundance of brown-black, flat to convex discs (to 1mm diam.) with a rim which is soon excluded. Western Ireland.

Key Identification Features:

• Thallus: a cracked crust of grey-brown, tightly packed squamules. Usually if collected the thallus easily falls apart
• Discs numerous, brown to black, flat to convex. Slightly calcareous maritime rocks, often below wooded cliffs.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

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

iNaturalist: Vahliella leucophaea at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.