Description: This powder lichen has a cream thallus loose at the surface without tints of blue-grey and an obvious but never lobed or raised edge. Spot tests K± dirty orange, C± dirty orange, Pd+ yellow-dirty orange. On siliceous or calcareous rocks often in sheltered situations. L. eburnea occurs in similar situations, is always greener or blue-grey and is cleanly K+ yellow, C+ faint yellow or pink. In Ireland, there are a few scatter sites in the north.

Key Identification Features:

• Cream-coloured thallus, loosely structured, delimited, but edge not lobed or raised
• Spot tests: all with rather dirty reactions none bright or clear; shaded calcareous or siliceous rock.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

Distribution Map from NBN: Lepraria diffusa var. diffusa at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Lepraria diffusa var. diffusa at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.