# Aspicilia

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Genus of lichen-forming fungi

Aspicilia Aspicilia cinerea Scientific classification Kingdom: Fungi Division: Ascomycota Class: Lecanoromycetes Order: Pertusariales Family: Megasporaceae Genus: Aspicilia A.Massal. (1852) Type species Aspicilia cinerea (L.) Körb. (1855)

***Aspicilia*** (**sunken disk lichen**) is a [genus](/source/Genus) of mostly [crustose](/source/Crustose_lichen) [areolate](/source/Areolate_lichen) [lichens](/source/Lichen) that grow on rock. Most members have black [apothecia](/source/Apothecia) discs that are slightly immersed in the areolas, hence the [common name](/source/List_of_common_names_of_lichen_genera)"*[1]*: 223Given the same reason, the naming of *Aspicilia* is derived from the Greek word for "shield concave".[2]

Most of the species of this genus grow on [calcareous](/source/Calcareous) and acidic rocks and most of the taxa prefer [temperate](/source/Temperate) and arctic habitats.

Some members of the genus *Aspicilia* are [pioneer species](/source/Pioneer_species) on granite and other hard rock, after which members of other lichen species may grow on them, such as members of *[Acarospora](/source/Acarospora)*.[3]

## Description

Members of this genus are weakly cracked to distinctly areolate, with a scattered to whole [thalli](/source/Thallus). Some of the species of this genus are disc-shaped with plicate lobes at the circumference; these lobes may appear chalky white, grayish, greenish or brownish. Some possess [vegetative](/source/Vegetative_reproduction) means of propagation such as [isidia](/source/Isidium) (column-like structures of fungal and algal cells normally found on the top-side or outer cortex of the lichen) and [soredia](/source/Soredia) (structures that produce soralia, granule-like masses of intertwined fungal and algal cells occurring on top of the cortex and on the margins).

They have characteristic [ascomata](/source/Ascomata) which are mostly immersed but occasionally emergent. They have 4 to 8 spored [asci](/source/Ascus) that are cylindrical to club-shaped. Their [ascospores](/source/Ascospores) are typically [ellipsoid](/source/Ellipsoid) to [globose](/source/Globose) in shape, colorless and thin-walled. They often contain β-orcinol depsidones ([secondary metabolites](/source/Secondary_metabolite) of lichens) such as [norstictic acid](/source/Norstictic_acid) and [stictic acids](/source/Stictic_acid); others have [fatty acids](/source/Fatty_acids) or [triterpenes](/source/Triterpenes). In genus *Aspicilia* dramatic changes in growth forms are very common, and some taxa may display extreme transitions within the same population or even changes within the same thallus.[4]

## Classification

Previously placed in the family [Hymeneliaceae](/source/Hymeneliaceae), [phylogenetic](/source/Phylogenetic) analyses indicate that the genus is better placed in the family [Megasporaceae](/source/Megasporaceae).[5]

## Species

As of October 2021[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia&action=edit), [Species Fungorum](/source/Species_Fungorum) accepts 70 species of *Aspicilia*.[6]

- *[Aspicilia abbasiana](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_abbasiana&action=edit&redlink=1)* S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös, Ismayil & S.Y.Guo (2016)

- *[Aspicilia albosparsa](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_albosparsa&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Werner) S.Y.Kondr. (2002)

- *[Aspicilia angelica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_angelica&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia aquatica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_aquatica&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Fr.) Körb. (1855)

- *[Aspicilia arizonica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_arizonica&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia armeniaca](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_armeniaca&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Werner) S.Y.Kondr. (2002)

- *[Aspicilia aurantiaca](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_aurantiaca&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia auricularis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_auricularis&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Werner) S.Y.Kondr. (2002)

- *[Aspicilia berntii](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_berntii&action=edit&redlink=1)* A.Nordin, Tibell & Owe-Larss. (2008)

- *[Aspicilia bicensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_bicensis&action=edit&redlink=1)* F.Anderson & Lendemer (2016)

- *[Aspicilia blastidiata](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_blastidiata&action=edit&redlink=1)* Paukov, A.Nordin & Tibell (2015)

- *[Aspicilia boykinii](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_boykinii&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia californica](/source/Aspicilia_californica)* Rosentr. (1998

- *[Aspicilia candida](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_candida&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Anzi) Hue (1912)

- *[Aspicilia cinerea](/source/Aspicilia_cinerea)* (L.) Körb. (1855)

- *[Aspicilia confusa](/source/Aspicilia_confusa)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia corallophora](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_corallophora&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Poelt) Hafellner & Türk (2001)

- *[Aspicilia cuprea](/source/Aspicilia_cuprea)* Owe-Larss. & A. Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia cyanescens](/source/Aspicilia_cyanescens)* Owe-Larss. & A. Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia desertorum](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_desertorum&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Kremp.) Mereschk. (1911)

- *[Aspicilia dubertretii](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_dubertretii&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Werner) S.Y.Kondr. (2002)

- *[Aspicilia endochlora](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_endochlora&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Hook. f. & Taylor) C.W.Dodge (1948)

- *[Aspicilia epiglypta](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_epiglypta&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Norrl. ex Nyl.) Hue (1912)

- *[Aspicilia euphratica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_euphratica&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Werner) S.Y.Kondr. (2002)

- *[Aspicilia expansa](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_expansa&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Lynge) Alstrup & E.S.Hansen (2001)

- *[Aspicilia fluviatilis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_fluviatilis&action=edit&redlink=1)* A.Nordin & Owe-Larss. (2010)

- *[Aspicilia fruticulosofoliacea](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_fruticulosofoliacea&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Elenkin) Sohrabi (2010)

- *[Aspicilia fumosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_fumosa&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia granulosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_granulosa&action=edit&redlink=1)* A.Nordin (2010)

- *[Aspicilia grisea](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_grisea&action=edit&redlink=1)* Arnold (1891)

- *[Aspicilia guadalupensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_guadalupensis&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia humida](/source/Aspicilia_humida)* Lee (2022)[7] – South Korea

- *[Aspicilia indeterminata](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_indeterminata&action=edit&redlink=1)* T.B.Wheeler (2024)[8] – U.S.

- *[Aspicilia knudsenii](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_knudsenii&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia laevata](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_laevata&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Ach.) Arnold (1887)

- *[Aspicilia major](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_major&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Lynge) Øvstedal (2009)[9] – [Falkland Islands](/source/Falkland_Islands)

- *[Aspicilia nashii](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_nashii&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia niesenensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_niesenensis&action=edit&redlink=1)* (H.Magn.) Hafellner (2018)

- *[Aspicilia ochromelaena](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_ochromelaena&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Zahlbr.) J.C.Wei (1991)

- *[Aspicilia olivaceobrunnea](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_olivaceobrunnea&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia olivaceopallida](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_olivaceopallida&action=edit&redlink=1)* (H.Magn.) Lendemer (2013)

- *[Aspicilia pacifica](/source/Aspicilia_pacifica)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia peltastictoides](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_peltastictoides&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Hasse) K.Knudsen & Kocourk. (2013)

- *[Aspicilia persica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_persica&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Müll.Arg.) Sohrabi (2008)

- *[Aspicilia phaea](/source/Aspicilia_phaea)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia prestensis](/source/Aspicilia_prestensis)* Cl.Roux & A.Nordin (2011)

- *[Aspicilia pseudoabbasiana](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_pseudoabbasiana&action=edit&redlink=1)* S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2016)

- *[Aspicilia pseudovulcanica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_pseudovulcanica&action=edit&redlink=1)* S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2016)

- *[Aspicilia punctiformis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_punctiformis&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Lynge) Øvstedal (2009)

- *[Aspicilia reagens](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_reagens&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Zahlbr.) Cl.Roux & M.Bertrand (2016)

- *[Aspicilia santamonicae](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_santamonicae&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia serpentinicola](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_serpentinicola&action=edit&redlink=1)* Suza ex A.Nordin (2013)

- *[Aspicilia sipeana](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_sipeana&action=edit&redlink=1)* (H. Magn.) Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia stalagmitica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_stalagmitica&action=edit&redlink=1)* Paukov & Davydov (2020)

- *[Aspicilia straussii](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_straussii&action=edit&redlink=1)* (J.Steiner) Sohrabi (2008)

- *[Aspicilia suavis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_suavis&action=edit&redlink=1)* T.B.Wheeler (2024)[8] – U.S.

- *[Aspicilia subcaesia](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_subcaesia&action=edit&redlink=1)* J.C.Wei (1991)

- *[Aspicilia subdepressa](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_subdepressa&action=edit&redlink=1)* Arnold (1869)

- *[Aspicilia subepiglypta](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_subepiglypta&action=edit&redlink=1)* S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2016)

- *[Aspicilia subfarinosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_subfarinosa&action=edit&redlink=1)* (J.Steiner) Şenkard. & Sohrabi (2011)

- *[Aspicilia subgeographica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_subgeographica&action=edit&redlink=1)* S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2016)

- *[Aspicilia subgoettweigensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_subgoettweigensis&action=edit&redlink=1)* S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2016)

- *[Aspicilia submamillata](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_submamillata&action=edit&redlink=1)* S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2016)

- *[Aspicilia substerilis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_substerilis&action=edit&redlink=1)* Sipman (2007)

- *[Aspicilia substictica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_substictica&action=edit&redlink=1)* Owe-Larss. & A.Nordin (2007)

- *[Aspicilia taurica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_taurica&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Mereschk.) Hafellner (2004)

- *[Aspicilia tuberculosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_tuberculosa&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Ach.) J.R.Laundon (1986)

- *[Aspicilia verrucigera](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aspicilia_verrucigera&action=edit&redlink=1)* Hue (1912)

## Gallery

		- *[Aspicilia caesiocinerea](/source/Aspicilia_caesiocinerea)*

		- *[Aspicilia cinerea](/source/Aspicilia_cinerea)*

		- Photograph of a cross section of an apothecium of *A. caesiocinerea* taken through a compound microscope, x 100. Note the dark olive epihymenium.

		- Photograph of a section of an apothecium of *A. cinerea* taken through a compound microscope (x400) showing algae in the amphithecium of the thalline margin. (Lecanorine-type apothecium)

		- Photograph of an ascus from *A. caesiocinerea* taken through a compound microscope (x1000) showing 8 spores per ascus. (Spores measure approximately 15 x 11 micrometres.)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SSFGCL_1-0)** Field Guide to California Lichens, Stephen Sharnoff, Yale University Press, 2014, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-300-19500-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-300-19500-2)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Consortium of Lichen Herbaria - Aspicilia"](https://lichenportal.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxauthid=1&taxon=Aspicilia&clid=1032). *lichenportal.org*. Retrieved 2023-06-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ACAROSPORALFGSDR_3-0)** ACAROPSPORA, Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 3., Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bugartz, F., (eds.) 2001, [\[1\]](http://lichenportal.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=52996)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Weber_1967_4-0)** Weber WA. (1967). "Environmental modification in crustose lichens. II. Fruticosa growth forms in *Aspicilia*". *Aquilo. Ser. Bot*. **6**: 43–51.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Schmitt_2006_5-0)** Schmitt I, Yamamoto Y, Lumbsch HT (2006). "Phylogeny of Pertusariales (Ascomycotina): Resurrection of Ochrolechiaceae and new circumscription of Megasporaceae". *Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory*. **100**: 753–64.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CoL-Fungorum:_Aspicilia_6-0)** Source dataset. [Species Fungorum](/source/Species_Fungorum) Plus: Species Fungorum for CoL+. ["*Aspicilia*"](https://www.catalogueoflife.org/?taxonKey=342N). *[Catalog of Life](/source/Catalog_of_Life) Version 2021-09-21*. Retrieved 15 October 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Lee_et_al._2022_7-0)** Lee, Beeyoung Gun; Shin, Hyun Tak; Hur, Jae-Seoun (2022). ["A new lichen-forming fungus, *Aspicilia humida*, from a forested wetland in South Korea, with a taxonomic key for aspicilioid species of Korea"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8890562). *Mycobiology*. **50** (1): 20–29. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/12298093.2021.2021642](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F12298093.2021.2021642). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [8890562](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8890562). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [35291595](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35291595).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Wheeler_et_al._2024_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Wheeler_et_al._2024_8-1) Wheeler, Tim; McCarthy, John; Owe-Larsson, Björn; Fryday, Alan (2024). "Taxonomic innovations in Megasporaceae (lichenized Ascomycota, Pertusariales): *Antidea*, a new genus for *Aspicilia brucei*; two new species of *Aspicilia*, and new combinations in *Aspilidea* and *Lobothallia*". *The Lichenologist*. **56** (5): 273–286. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S0024282924000239](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0024282924000239).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fryday_et_al._2021_9-0)** Fryday, Alan M.; Wheeler, Timothy B.; Etayo, Javier (2021). ["A new species of *Aspicilia* (Megasporaceae), with a new lichenicolous *Sagediopsis* (Adelococcaceae), from the Falkland Islands"](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0024282921000244). *The Lichenologist*. **53** (4): 307–315. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S0024282921000244](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0024282921000244).

- Media related to [Aspicilia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Aspicilia) at Wikimedia Commons

Taxon identifiers Aspicilia Wikidata: Q4807987 Wikispecies: Aspicilia AusLichen: 30016525 CoL: 342N EoL: 16357 EPPO: 1ASPCG FloraBase: 27427 GBIF: 2599747 iNaturalist: 175944 IndexFungorum: 392 IRMNG: 1375987 ITIS: 189695 MycoBank: 392 NBN: NHMSYS0001475246 NCBI: 170003 NZOR: 4cdfcf6f-7bfd-4907-8cf3-384cfbf9a0fb Open Tree of Life: 865790 PLANTS: ASPIC2 SpeciesFungorum: 392 WoRMS: 147745

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