Alyxoria cyanea

Alyxoria cyanea is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Lecanographaceae. Found in Brazil, it was described as a new species by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot. This lichen is characterized by its vivid blue-green epihymenium and 5-7 septate ascospores, which measure 23–27 by 5–6 μm and are surrounded by a 1.5 μm wide gelatinous sheath. The species was named after the blue pigment found in its epihymenium. Alyxoria cyanea is crustose with a continuous, non-corticate, dull, pale greenish-brown thallus. The ascomata, or fruiting bodies, are sessile and solitary, with a purplish-brown to black disc and a raised margin. Vivid blue-green colours are rare among lichenized ascomycetes, and this feature makes Alyxoria cyanea unique among Arthoniales lichens. The chemistry of Alyxoria cyanea reveals no reactions to UV, C, P, or K spot tests, and its thin-layer chromatography analysis does not detect the presence of any substances. Alyxoria cyanea is found on ......read more on Wikipedia.