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thallus crustose , epiphloeodal , thick , up to 1 mm high , bulging and partly flaking away from the substratum , gray . surface dull to rarely slightly shiny , smooth to somewhat mealy , continuous , unfissured .
true cortex absent , thallus covered by continuous phenocortex up to c. 40 m high , hyaline , dense , conglutinated , formed from irregular hyphae .
photobiont layer usually continuous and well developed , sometimes becoming inconspicuous due to crystal inclusions , 70~120 ( ~210 ) m high , calcium oxalate crystals abundant , small to large , scattered or clustered , sometimes forming column - like structures , distinct .
medulla well developed , hyaline , not clearly separated to separated from the photobiont , of tightly packed interwoven hyphae with narrow lumina .
ascomata apothecia ( lepadinoid - type ) , abundant , conspicuous , 0.5~1 ( ~2 ) mm diam . ,
pores wide , 0.3~0.8 ( ~1.8 ) mm in diam . , formed by proper exciple , proper exciple apically or in upper parts becoming visible from surface , rounded to  irregular or angular , with an entire to indistinctly split , free , whitish to off - white , incurved to erect .
thalline rim margin moderately thin to thick , roundish to  irregular or angular , entire , concolorous with thallus or brighter than thallus .
proper exciple leucodecton - type , cupular , becoming partly to entirely free , thin , c. 10~25 m deep at base , 20~35 m wide laterally , comprising hyaline to pale yellowish or pale brownish conglutinated prosoplectenchymatous hyphae , with a darker brown pigmentation or carbonization towards the apex , non - amyloid .
paraphyses simple , straight ,  interwoven , tips slightly thickened , adspersed with fine grayish to brownish granules .
epihymenium thin , up to 3~4 m , hyaline , with grayish to pale brown granules ; small calcium oxalate crystals are found in the pruina of the hymneium .
asci thelotrema - type , narrowly clavate , 90~135  10~15 m ; 4~8 spored , uniseriate , transversely septate ( immature ) to submuriform ( mature ) , cell walls moderately thick , endospore thin , non - halonate , hyaline ( young ) ( fig .
1b ) , non - amyloid , ellipsoid to subglobose to oblong , with roundish to narrowed - roundish ends , loci roundish to angular , subglobose to oblong , with same shaped end cells , ( 19~ ) 20~22.5 ( ~23.3 )  ( 9.2~ ) 10~12.5 ( ~13.5 ) m with 4~5  1~3 loci .
secondary metabolites : absent , but traces of a pale spot at rf 36 ( uv+ rose red ) , pale brown spot at rf 25 ( uv- ) , and an unknown fluorescent green ( uv+ red ) were reported out which may be chemical constituents of bark .
the species is reported in and around shinhung temple and is found growing over carpinus laxiflora bark at an altitude ranging from 750~884 m. the forest in route from shinhung temple to ulsan cliff and sejon - bong is dominated by abies firma and carpinus laxiflora mixed with prunus yedoensis and other deciduous trees .
the species is characterized by thick , bulging thallus with many calcium oxalate crystal inclusions , the immersed , round to irregular ascomata with free exciple , ellipsoid to  roundish submuriform , brown ascospores and lack of secondary substances .
it is often confused with l. glaucescens ( nyl . ) a. frisch , l. occultum ( eschw . )
a. frisch , which generally differs from l. desquamescens by having smaller ascomata and other characters described below .
presence of stictic acid chemosyndrome separates l. desquamescens from l. glaucescens , l. fissurinum , and l. subcompunctum , while the presence of norstictic acid separates l. occultum from l. desquamescens .
furthermore , the thallus of l. occultum is ecorticate , while that of l. fissurinum and l. subcompunctum is fissured to fissured - areolate . for further differentiation between these species
750 m , on caprinus bark , 25 may 2009 , y. joshi & party , 090873 ( kolri ) ; 3805'36 " n , 12825'176 " e , alt .
884 m , on caprinus laxiflora bark , 25 may 2009 , y. joshi & party 090934 ( kolri ) .
thallus crustose , epiphloeodal , thick , up to 1 mm high , bulging and partly flaking away from the substratum , gray . surface dull to rarely slightly shiny , smooth to somewhat mealy , continuous , unfissured .
true cortex absent , thallus covered by continuous phenocortex up to c. 40 m high , hyaline , dense , conglutinated , formed from irregular hyphae .
photobiont layer usually continuous and well developed , sometimes becoming inconspicuous due to crystal inclusions , 70~120 ( ~210 ) m high , calcium oxalate crystals abundant , small to large , scattered or clustered , sometimes forming column - like structures , distinct .
medulla well developed , hyaline , not clearly separated to separated from the photobiont , of tightly packed interwoven hyphae with narrow lumina .
ascomata apothecia ( lepadinoid - type ) , abundant , conspicuous , 0.5~1 ( ~2 ) mm diam . ,
pores wide , 0.3~0.8 ( ~1.8 ) mm in diam . , formed by proper exciple , proper exciple apically or in upper parts becoming visible from surface , rounded to  irregular or angular , with an entire to indistinctly split , free , whitish to off - white , incurved to erect .
thalline rim margin moderately thin to thick , roundish to  irregular or angular , entire , concolorous with thallus or brighter than thallus .
proper exciple leucodecton - type , cupular , becoming partly to entirely free , thin , c. 10~25 m deep at base , 20~35 m wide laterally , comprising hyaline to pale yellowish or pale brownish conglutinated prosoplectenchymatous hyphae , with a darker brown pigmentation or carbonization towards the apex , non - amyloid .
paraphyses simple , straight ,  interwoven , tips slightly thickened , adspersed with fine grayish to brownish granules .
epihymenium thin , up to 3~4 m , hyaline , with grayish to pale brown granules ; small calcium oxalate crystals are found in the pruina of the hymneium .
asci thelotrema - type , narrowly clavate , 90~135  10~15 m ; 4~8 spored , uniseriate , transversely septate ( immature ) to submuriform ( mature ) , cell walls moderately thick , endospore thin , non - halonate , hyaline ( young ) ( fig .
1b ) , non - amyloid , ellipsoid to subglobose to oblong , with roundish to narrowed - roundish ends , loci roundish to angular , subglobose to oblong , with same shaped end cells , ( 19~ ) 20~22.5 ( ~23.3 )  ( 9.2~ ) 10~12.5 ( ~13.5 ) m with 4~5  1~3 loci .
secondary metabolites : absent , but traces of a pale spot at rf 36 ( uv+ rose red ) , pale brown spot at rf 25 ( uv- ) , and an unknown fluorescent green ( uv+ red ) were reported out which may be chemical constituents of bark .
the species is reported in and around shinhung temple and is found growing over carpinus laxiflora bark at an altitude ranging from 750~884 m. the forest in route from shinhung temple to ulsan cliff and sejon - bong is dominated by abies firma and carpinus laxiflora mixed with prunus yedoensis and other deciduous trees .
the species is characterized by thick , bulging thallus with many calcium oxalate crystal inclusions , the immersed , round to irregular ascomata with free exciple , ellipsoid to  roundish submuriform , brown ascospores and lack of secondary substances .
it is often confused with l. glaucescens ( nyl . ) a. frisch , l. occultum ( eschw . )
a. frisch , which generally differs from l. desquamescens by having smaller ascomata and other characters described below .
presence of stictic acid chemosyndrome separates l. desquamescens from l. glaucescens , l. fissurinum , and l. subcompunctum , while the presence of norstictic acid separates l. occultum from l. desquamescens .
furthermore , the thallus of l. occultum is ecorticate , while that of l. fissurinum and l. subcompunctum is fissured to fissured - areolate . for further differentiation between these species
750 m , on caprinus bark , 25 may 2009 , y. joshi & party , 090873 ( kolri ) ; 3805'36 " n , 12825'176 " e , alt .
884 m , on caprinus laxiflora bark , 25 may 2009 , y. joshi & party 090934 ( kolri ) .
thallus crustose , epiphloeodal , thick , up to 1 mm high , bulging and partly flaking away from the substratum , gray . surface dull to rarely slightly shiny , smooth to somewhat mealy , continuous , unfissured .
true cortex absent , thallus covered by continuous phenocortex up to c. 40 m high , hyaline , dense , conglutinated , formed from irregular hyphae .
photobiont layer usually continuous and well developed , sometimes becoming inconspicuous due to crystal inclusions , 70~120 ( ~210 ) m high , calcium oxalate crystals abundant , small to large , scattered or clustered , sometimes forming column - like structures , distinct .
medulla well developed , hyaline , not clearly separated to separated from the photobiont , of tightly packed interwoven hyphae with narrow lumina .
ascomata apothecia ( lepadinoid - type ) , abundant , conspicuous , 0.5~1 ( ~2 ) mm diam . ,
pores wide , 0.3~0.8 ( ~1.8 ) mm in diam . , formed by proper exciple , proper exciple apically or in upper parts becoming visible from surface , rounded to  irregular or angular , with an entire to indistinctly split , free , whitish to off - white , incurved to erect .
thalline rim margin moderately thin to thick , roundish to  irregular or angular , entire , concolorous with thallus or brighter than thallus .
. proper exciple leucodecton - type , cupular , becoming partly to entirely free , thin , c. 10~25 m deep at base , 20~35 m wide laterally , comprising hyaline to pale yellowish or pale brownish conglutinated prosoplectenchymatous hyphae , with a darker brown pigmentation or carbonization towards the apex , non - amyloid .
paraphyses simple , straight ,  interwoven , tips slightly thickened , adspersed with fine grayish to brownish granules .
epihymenium thin , up to 3~4 m , hyaline , with grayish to pale brown granules ; small calcium oxalate crystals are found in the pruina of the hymneium .
asci thelotrema - type , narrowly clavate , 90~135  10~15 m ; 4~8 spored , uniseriate , transversely septate ( immature ) to submuriform ( mature ) , cell walls moderately thick , endospore thin , non - halonate , hyaline ( young ) ( fig .
1b ) , non - amyloid , ellipsoid to subglobose to oblong , with roundish to narrowed - roundish ends , loci roundish to angular , subglobose to oblong , with same shaped end cells , ( 19~ ) 20~22.5 ( ~23.3 )  ( 9.2~ ) 10~12.5 ( ~13.5 ) m with 4~5  1~3 loci .
secondary metabolites : absent , but traces of a pale spot at rf 36 ( uv+ rose red ) , pale brown spot at rf 25 ( uv- ) , and an unknown fluorescent green ( uv+ red ) were reported out which may be chemical constituents of bark .
the species is reported in and around shinhung temple and is found growing over carpinus laxiflora bark at an altitude ranging from 750~884 m. the forest in route from shinhung temple to ulsan cliff and sejon - bong is dominated by abies firma and carpinus laxiflora mixed with prunus yedoensis and other deciduous trees .
the species is characterized by thick , bulging thallus with many calcium oxalate crystal inclusions , the immersed , round to irregular ascomata with free exciple , ellipsoid to  roundish submuriform , brown ascospores and lack of secondary substances .
it is often confused with l. glaucescens ( nyl . ) a. frisch , l. occultum ( eschw . )
a. frisch , which generally differs from l. desquamescens by having smaller ascomata and other characters described below .
presence of stictic acid chemosyndrome separates l. desquamescens from l. glaucescens , l. fissurinum , and l. subcompunctum , while the presence of norstictic acid separates l. occultum from l. desquamescens .
furthermore , the thallus of l. occultum is ecorticate , while that of l. fissurinum and l. subcompunctum is fissured to fissured - areolate . for further differentiation between these species
750 m , on caprinus bark , 25 may 2009 , y. joshi & party , 090873 ( kolri ) ; 3805'36 " n , 12825'176 " e , alt .
884 m , on caprinus laxiflora bark , 25 may 2009 , y. joshi & party 090934 ( kolri ) .
this study describes a new record of a thelotremoid lichen ( leucodecton desquamescens ) from south korea . 
 the taxon is characterized by thick , bulging thallus with many calcium oxalate crystal inclusions ; an immersed , round to irregular ascomata with free exciple , ellipsoid to  roundish submuriform , brown ascospores , and lack of secondary metabolites . 
 a detailed taxonomic description and comments are presented for this taxon . 
 the lichen genus leucodecton is reported for the first time in south korea .