Protoparmelia
Crustose lichens containing a trebouxioid alga; thallus smooth, areolate, cracked, verrucose, isidiate, sorediate, or subsquamulose, often glossy; apothecia with an algal rim that may resemble either the thallus or the disc in colour and texture, often thick and persistent, also with an inconspicuous internal, non-algal rim; hymenium formed of thick, gel-embedded, mostly simple paraphyses tipped with a gelatinous cap of light to medium brown pigment; hypothecium colourless; asci clavate, with a thickened tholus that reacts IKI+ light to medium blue with a paler column reaching all through the tholus length (similar to Lecanora-type); spores 8 per ascus, colourless, simple, ellipsoid, oblong or fusiform.
References: Ryan, Nash & Hafellner 2004; Brodo & Aptroot 2005.
Protoparmelia ochrococca (Nyl.) P.M. Jørg.
Thallus strongly glossy, granular, areolate or continuous and smooth, forming small patches, the granules and areoles often widely separated, honey-brown, red-brown, or olive green; apothecia with a thick, high, prominent and persistent rim, the rim and disc medium orange-brown or red-brown, glossy; spores spindle-shaped or elliptical, 8-12 × 2-3.5 µ.
Reactions: Spot tests all negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: On conifer bark and wood, mostly on branches, always above the winter snowpack. All forested elevations.
Similar Species: Lecidea rubrocastanea and Japewia tornoënsis, which are known from other portions of the ESSF, may have somewhat glossy, similarly coloured apothecia, but these have a poorly formed rim that lacks algae.
Specimens: Björk 9034.
Local Status: Occasional.