Description: A distinctive bright orange crustose lichen forming neat rosettes of narrow, elongate, radiating lobes. Scattered apothecia often present towards the centre of the thallus. It prefers more sheltered habitats than Caloplaca marina. Similar to Caloplaca verruculifera which differs in its more yellow colour and general absence of apothecia.

Key Identification Features:

• Bright orange colour.
• Neat, elongate, radiating lobes.
• Exclusively marine. On hard, slightly sheltered, coastal rocks above HWM.

Original text submitted by Michael J. Simms

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

iNaturalist: Variospora thallincola at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.