Verrucaria bryoctona

Verrucaria bryoctona is an inconspicuous terricolous crustose lichen associated with calcareous soils colonised by mosses. The thallus forms a thin dull crust that is punctuated by frequent black, globose perithecia. It is listed as NationallyScarce, though has been recorded widely in a range of habitats including mine sites, ruderal post-industrial land and also likes living with Bryum argenteum in the cracks between paving slabs in towns (Steve Chambers pers.comm.). 

Site details: The species was recorded in November 2024 as locally abundant on gravel-sized sandy-slag at Margam landfill site, the most frequent direct associates including Lotus corniculatus, Streblotrichum convolutum var. convolutum, Collema tenax var. ceranoides, Leptogium gelatinosum, Plantago coronopus and Pseudocrossidium hornschuchianum.

Listed by Alan Orange in Flora of Glamorgan (Wade et al, 1994).