Branched pixie-cup lichen

Appearance

Primary thallus made up of small leafy lobes, the grey green cups which rise from this lichen have secondary tiers of growth often decorated by brown sac like structures in which the sexual spores are developed.
Very polymorphic but characterized by irregular, inconstant, often granular, rarely sorediate podetions, dotted with shiny scales and often presenting decorticated areas and brown apothecia.

Distribution

Europe, North America.

Habitat

Frequent on acid to neutral soil, humus, wood.
On inland and coastal sandy heathlands, moorlands and post industrial sites on rotting tree stumps, fence posts, earth banks, wall tops, thatch and decaying vegetation, most frequent in lowland and coastal sites