Megalaria pulvera
Megalaria pulvera
REACTIONS
DESCRIPTION
Megalaria pulverea is a crustose lichen with a pale green to yellow-green thallus, often appearing soft, diffuse, and slightly powdery. The surface is typically made up of granular soredia, giving it a dusty or mealy texture—hence the name pulverea (“powdery”).
The thallus is usually thin and spreading, sometimes forming irregular patches that merge into larger areas. Unlike many crustose lichens, it often lacks obvious structured fruiting bodies, though small, biatorine apothecia (flat, disc-like structures) may occasionally be present. These are usually blackish with a lighter margin but are not always conspicuous.
Overall, it can be quite inconspicuous in the field, blending into mossy or algae-covered bark.
HABITAT
This species is primarily corticolous, growing on the bark of trees, particularly smooth-barked deciduous species. In North Wales it is most often encountered in humid, sheltered woodland environments where mosses are abundant, frequently forming part of a subtle mosaic of bryophytes and other lichens on shaded trunks. It shows a clear preference for areas with consistently high humidity and good air quality, such as Atlantic oakwoods and wooded valleys, and may occasionally be found on decaying wood in similarly damp conditions.
STATUS IN NORTH WALES
Uncommon but widespread in suitable habitat
Megalaria pulverea is not as immediately noticeable as many lichens, and may be under-recorded. Where conditions are right—particularly in humid western woodlands—it can be locally frequent, but overall it remains uncommon compared to more conspicuous crustose species.
