Diploschistes scruposus is a crustose lichen that can overgrow anything in its path. The thallus is thick, white to grayish or greenish and grows mostly here on rock. The deeply sunken apothecia have black discs with white rims. The spores are elliptical and about 12-celled. The spores are called "muriform", meaning that they have transverse as well as longitudinal septa. The cortex is K+ yellow and C+ red.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photomicrograph of thallus with immersed apothecia with black discs, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photomicrograph of single-celled green photobiont (possibly Trebouxia), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photomicrograph of hymenium with asci holding 4-8 muriform spores, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photomicrograph of hymenium with asci holding 4-8 muriform spores, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photomicrograph of cross section of sunken apothecium, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photomicrograph of muriform spores with about 12 cells each, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photomicrograph of yellow reaction in KOH, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Diploschistes scruposus (dry), photomicrograph of red reaction in hypochlorite, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Gila NF, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, growing on rock, November 21, 2024
Back to the Index