LICHALP

Protothelenella sphinctrinoides (Nyl.) H. Mayrhofer & Poelt

Syn.: Chromatochlamys sphinctrinoides (Nyl.) Trevis., Gloeopyrenia gelatinosa (Zahlbr.) Zschacke, Microglaena gelatinosa Zahlbr., Microglaena sphinctrinoides (Nyl.) Lönnr., Polyblastia sphinctrinoides (Nyl.) Jatta, Thelenella sphinctrinoides (Nyl.) Vain., Verrucaria sphinctrinoides Nyl.

Lichenised.

Substrate: living mosses, plant debris, acidic soil (mostly on siliceous substrata)

Altitudinal range: from the montane belt (potential vegetation: deciduous forests dominated by Fagus sylvatica and closed coniferous forests with Picea abies) to the alpine belt (potential vegetation: treeless Alpine grasslands and tundras, to the lower limit of perennial snow and the equilibrium line of glaciers)

Note: an arctic-alpine to boreal-montane, circumpolar lichen found on moribund bryophytes growing on soil and rock, more rarely directly on soil, in rather disturbed sites (e.g. on mountain track sides) with a long snow cover, often in crevices or small depressions of the ground; much undercollected and probably ranging throughout the Alps, with optimum above treeline.