LICHALP

Thelocarpella gordensis Nav.-Ros. & Cl. Roux

Syn.: Trimmatothelopsis gordensis (Nav.-Ros. & Cl. Roux) K. Knudsen & Lendemer

Lichenised.

Substrate: calciferous rocks

Altitudinal range: from the submediterranean/colline belt (potential vegetation: mixed deciduous forests dominated by Quercus and Carpinus) to the montane belt (potential vegetation: deciduous forests dominated by Fagus sylvatica and closed coniferous forests with Picea abies)

Note: a peculiar, extremely rare species with an endolithic thallus, immersed perithecioid ascomata with persistent interascal filaments, polyspored asci, and simple, oblong ascospores (to 6 µm long). The species has a basal position in the Trimmatothelopsis-clade, and perhaps belongs there. It grows on steeply inclined surfaces of calciferous rocks in well-lit situations, being only known from Central Europe and the western Mediterranean region; there are a few disjunct lowland records from the Alps; the Austrian one needs confirmation.