Description: This rare, rather delicate but easily distinguished crustose epiphyte, grows on the smooth bark of old mature trees especially beech, oak and ash in clearings or near the edges of ancient woods. The white to pale grey thallus, which can vary in thickness, is scattered with flat, densely white-frosted warts, containing pink discs which are C+ red. The species has been recorded on only a few occasions in the past 50 years and should be searched for. Counties Kerry and Cork in Ireland.

Key Identification Features:

• Thallus white, thin or thick on mature smooth-barked trees
• Surface scattered with small (0.5-0.8mm diam.), white-frosted warts that are C+ red.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

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

iNaturalist: Varicellaria velata at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.