Aspicilia cinerea (cinder lichen) is a gray to almost white, 1.5–15 cm (0.59–5.91 in) wide, crustose areolate lichen with large apothecia that mostly grows on rock in the mountains. It grows in variable forms, from having a continuous surface to being areolate. It grows in Eurasia, and North America on siliceous rock, schist or igneous rock in habitats exposed to sunlight, also rarely on calciferous rock. It is common in Arizona, and rare in California and Baja California at elevations of 1,700 to 3,300 metres (5,600 to 10,800 ft). In Nepal, Aspicilia cinerea has been reported at 4,300 m (14,100 ft) elevation in a compilation of published records.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it poisonous?
We have no record of Cinder lichen being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Diploschistes actinostomus
- Porpidia tuberculosa
- Lecanora rupicola
- Circinaria calcarea
- Buellia spuria
- Lepra corallina
Classification
- Kingdom
- Fungi
- Phylum
- Ascomycota
- Class
- Lecanoromycetes
- Order
- Pertusariales
- Family
- Megasporaceae
- Genus
- Aspicilia
- Species
- Aspicilia cinerea
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