Lichens : Schaereriales : SchaereriaceaeLichens

Schaereria fuscocinerea (Nyl.) Clauzade & Cl.Roux

Description: This is a non-sorediate, mosaic-forming, crustose lichen of hard, siliceous upland rocks. The brown-grey thallus is minutely crazed (cracked). The resultant pieces (areoles) are irregular, angled and spotted with discs, largely immersed, so appearing only as small pips. This gives the surface a distinctive jizz. Spot tests: C+ pink-red, sometimes fainter on thin or specimens exposed to extreme conditions. Western Ireland with outliers in the south and east.

Key Identification Features:

  • Mosaic-forming, acid-rock lichen with a brown-grey thallus, crazed into areoles each with immersed discs just visible as spots
  • Spot test: C+ pink-red (but can be patchy); try several candidates.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

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

iNaturalist: Schaereria fuscocinerea at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

 Giavarini, Vince J., Simms, Michael J., & Davey, Simon, 2026. Schaereria fuscocinerea. (Nyl.) Clauzade & Cl.Roux. [In] Lichen Ireland.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/lichenireland/species.php?item=19032. Accessed on 2026-11-12.