Brigantiaea
Crust lichens with a trebouxioid alga; thallus thin or, in a few species, areolate, whitish or greenish; apothecia of most species coloured brightly with a pruina of anthraquinones, the rim usually pruinose like the disc, lacking algae in most species; hymenium formed of straight, mostly unbranched paraphyses embedded in gel, the upper portions pigmented with anthraquinone crystals; hypothecium colourless or pigmented; asci with a distinct tholus, IKI+ blue in the tholus and on the inner and outer ascal wall surfaces; spores 1 per ascus, large, with numerous longitudinal and transverse septae.
References: Hafellner 1997.
Brigantiaea praetermissa Hafelln. & St. Clair
Thallus whitish or pale grey, smooth or granular, often with soredia; apothecia normally dark brown, but appearing rusty red due to the pruina on the disc, rim sometimes also with a whitish pruina; hymenium colourless, 90-120 µ high, upper portions with abundant anthraquinone crystals that react K+ purplish red; paraphyses sparsely branched, about 2 µ thick, the tips slightly enlarged; hypothecium pale; asci 80-110 × 30-50 µ; spores eumuriform, colourless, ellipsoid to oblong, 50-80 × 20-35 µ; spot tests thallus K+ yellow, C-, P-, apothecial sections K+ purplish red; habitat on bark or wood of conifer twigs in humid forests.
Reactions: K+ yellow.
Contents: Atranorin and zeorin in the thallus, and the apothecia with an anthraquinone.
Habitat: On conifer branches in humid forests. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: Caloplaca atrosanguinea has similar apothecia, but the crust is dull grey-green and K-.
Specimens: Goward 96-702, 96-1244.
Local Status: Uncommon.