Description: This rare, crustose species is most likely to be found on large, stable, acid or intermediate boulders (for example, schistose rocks) along fast-flowing, upland streams. The thick, dark grey thallus is often accompanied by gross, cylindrical warts (to 2mm thick), sometimes clustered, sometimes eroded or appearing ground-down to form coarse soredia. Mountain streams in Counties Kerry and Waterford. Look for it on minibus-sized boulders.

Key Identification Features:

• Thallus crustose, grey to dark grey; with stubby, crowded — or not – cylindrical, pale-tipped warts (papillae); often forming large patches
• KC+ violet thallus separates it from lookalikes.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

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

iNaturalist: Lepra melanochlora at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.