Porinaceae Porina leptalea Growth type crustose. Photobiont Trentepohlia. Chemistry negative. Two distinct morphs (possibly un-named species) are included. 'Typical' Porina leptalea (shown) is early colonist on smooth-barked deciduous trees in damp woodland. Also on conifer bases in plantations, rare on damp, acidic rocks. Thin greyish-green thallus with small brownish-orange perithecia (0.15-0.2mm). The involucrellum only contains an orange pigment. Asci 8-spored, the spores 3-septate, 14.5-23 × 3.5-5 µm. Micrographs below. Red perithecia morph has a darker thallus, dark red-black perithecia (ruby-red when wet) and narrower spores, 15-22 x 3-3.5 µm. See here. Sorediate morph has a pale brown thallus +/- covered with orange soredia, ruby-red perithecia and longer, narrower spores 20-28 x 3-3.5 µm

Micrographs



Porina leptalea
Studland and Corfe Mullen, Dorset. October 2013, December 2018