Opera Bot. Soc. Bot Lund 42: 99 (1977).
Basionym: Lichen bicolor Ehrh., Beitr. Naturk. 3: 82 (1788) or Hannover. Mag. 22: 161 (1784).
Synonyms: Index Fungorum
Protolog: Data lacking.
Protolog type data: Data lacking.
Type locality: Germany, "Hercynia", Ehrhart: Crypt. Exs.: 40 (LINN - Sm. 1712.2(3) - lectotype). Lectotypification by Brodo & Hawksworth 1977: 99).
Type locality coordinates: Data lacking.
Molecular barcode: Data lacking.
Thallus: caespitose, somewhat rigid, up to 5 cm tall, intricately branched. Branches terete but with occasional flattening, main and secondary branches blackish brown, younger shoots and fibrils olivaceous to pale brown, fibrils numerous. Pseudocyphellae sparse, elongate. Soralia absent. Apothecia unknown (Swinscow & Krog 1988). Thallus erect or caespitose, rigid, 2-7 cm high, bicolorous; basal parts black, apical parts of main branches as well as spinules greyish brown to olive brown, shiny. Without distinct main branches, usually with perpendicular, terete, secondary and tertiary branches, 0.2- 0.5 mm diam., numerous perpendicular lateral spinules. Soralia absent. Pseudocyphellae sparse, fusiform, brown, plain or slightly raised. Apothecia very rare, to 1 mm diam.; disk dark brown. Spores globose to broadly ellipsoid, 6-9 x 4-6 μm. Pycnidia not seen in Nordic material.
Algae: Green algae.
Chemistry: Fumarprotocetraric acid. Medulla PD+ orange-red (Swinscow & Krog 1988). Cortex and medulla PD+ red; fumarprotocetraric acid.
Molecular data: Genbank
Distribution: Subcosmopolitic. Widespread from the tropics (hight altitudes) to the boreal region. Disjunct but widely distributed species. It has decreased or become extinct in many old localities. Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America. Suboceanic (xxx). Database
Note:
Ecology: On helichrysum stems and among bryophytes on rocks in the upper ericaceous and low alpine zones at 3500 to 4200 m altitude, not uncommon (Swinscow & Krog 1988). Growing on mossy rock walls and on trees. The cool and humid microclimate provided by shaded, vertical north-exposed rock faces, often close to the sea or lakes, seems to be important to this species.