Ric. Auton. Lich. Crost. (Verona): 148 (1852).

Thallus: endolithic to semi-endolithic, continuous, without cracks, whitish to pale grey-brown. Perithecia 300-450 µm in diameter, superficial to one-third immersed, the base covered by hyphae and fragments of the substratum, giving dusted appearance. Involucrellum 50-70 µm thick, well developed. Exciple pale brown or dark brown. Asci 8-spored. Ascospores 31-42 x 18-29 µm, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, muriform, colourless. Conidiomata unknown (Shivarov & Lökös 2015: 112 based on a single specimen BP 255).

Photobiont: Green alga.

Chemistry: No lichen substances.

Ecology: On calcareous rocks in exposed terrestrial habitats, widespread in alpine environment, rare in lower elevations.

Distribution type: Europe, Asia and North America (Swinscow 1971, Wirth 1995, Urbanavichus & Andreev 2010, Orange 2013).

Taxonomy: "According to SaviŽc & Tibell (2012), the specimens of Polyblastia cupularis in North Europe are incorrectly determined, and refer to P. fuscoargillacea Anzi, and other related species. P. fuscoargillacea is widely distributed also on calcareous rocks, but differs in in having areolate thallus and smaller ascospores" (Shivarov & Lökös 2015: 113).

Note: "This species seems not to occur in Northern Europe. Material of several (if not most!) species with moderately sized to large perithecia and spores have been misidentified as P. cupularis and sorted as such in major herbaria in Scandinavia" (Savic & Tibell 2012: 61).

Distribution Database: Distributions

Distribution Database: Discover Life

Picture Database: Tropical Lichens

Molecular Database: Genbank

Synonym Database: Index Fungorum

Synonym Database: Mycobank