Preliminary version 1 January 2013

Rhizocarpon copelandii (Körb.) Th. Fr.
Basionym: Data lacking.

Synonym: Index Fungorum

Type: Data lacking.

Coordinates:

 

Thallus: crustose, delimited, up to 2 cm in diameter, pale grey, areolate. Areolae pale grey, moderately shiny, scattered to contiguous, up to 0,9 mm in diameter. Hypothallus well developed, greyish-black. Medulla KI-. Apothecia up to 1 mm in diameter, plane to weakly convex and marginate, a few strongly convex and immarginate. Epithecium reddish-brown, K- or fainly K + red. Hymenium colourless or faintly reddish-brown. Proper exciple with a narrow reddish-brown rim and a bread brownish yellow inner part, K- or faintly K+ red. Both expithecium and proper exciple contain crystals which dissolve in K, giving a faintly yellow reaction. Hypothecium well developed, yellowish to reddish-brown. Spores 8 per ascus, 1-septate, soon becoming greyish-green, 23-27/11-12µm (Øvstedal & Gremmen (1995: 1) on a sample from Antarctica).

Photobiont: Data lacking.

Chemistry:
Race I: Norstictic acid.
Race II: Stictic acid complex with a trace of norstictic acid (TLC) (Øvstedal & Gremmen (1995: 1) on a sample from Antarctica).

Ecology: On silicious stone characterized by low nutrient levels (Øvstedal & Gremmen (1995: 1) on a sample from Antarctica).

Molecular data: Genbank

Distribution: Bipolar. Database

Note: The specimen is similar in most details with N European material, except for having a reddish-brown epithecium. The pale grey areolae are typical of specimens growing on extreme sites in arctic and alpine areas. Timdal & Holtan-Hartwig (1988) extended the delimitation of the species to also include specimens containing stictic acid." (Øvstedal & Gremmen (1995: 1) on a sample from Antarctica).