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(Map updated: 11 August 2009)

This crustose epiphyte should be searched for on the vertical bark of old, former parkland trees and nutrient-poor wooden fencing. The thallus consists entirely of fine granules (that look like, but are not soredia) which form a thin, uniform, dull orange-yellow crust. Discs are rare. It avoids nutrient-enriched bark and tends to prefer sycamore, ash and elm. It has a predominantly eastern distribution in Ireland.

Key characteristics

• Epiphyte: thallus, entirely of dull, orange-yellow granules; on non-enriched bark
• The similar Candelariella reflex is a species of nutrient-enriched habitats. It is minutely granular-sorediate, the soredia arising from tiny scales on the surface
• C. reflex's yellow patches are scattered and spotted across the tree bark or mixed in among mosses, not continuous as in C. xanthostigma.

NBN Atlas mapping: Species account : NBN Atlas UK Species Observations database

iNaturalist: Species account : iNaturalist World Species Observations database

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini