Gyalecta ancistrospora

The lichen has a thin, pale greenish-grey, crust-like thallus that covers areas of up to about 5 cm (2 in). The photobiont partner is trebouxioid (spherical, unicellular green algae). The ascomata are sessile, and measure 0.3–0.6 mm in diameter; they have a flat, dull orange disc with a pale pinkish-orange margin. All chemical spot tests are negative, and no lichen products were detected using thin-layer chromatography. The main characteristic that distinguishes Gyalecta ancistrospora from other Gyalecta species is the presence of spindle-shaped (fusiform) ascospores that have a long attenuated tail at the lower end. The spores, which have three septa that divide it into four chambers, measure 30–41 by 3.5–4 μm. The lichen is otherwise similar in appearance to other saxicolous members of its genus, particularly G. jenensis^[1] and G. ulleungdoensis.^[2]