''Cryptothecia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of white to greenish

crustose Crustose is a habit of some types of algae and lichens in which the organism grows tightly appressed to a substrate, forming a biological layer. ''Crustose'' adheres very closely to the substrates at all points. ''Crustose'' is found on rocks and ...

lichen A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.CRYPTOTHECIA, Flora of Australia volume 57, John A. Elix, 2009
/ref> It has a conspicuous

prothallus A prothallus, or prothallium, (from Latin ''pro'' = forwards and Greek ''θαλλος'' (''thallos'') = twig) is usually the gametophyte stage in the life of a fern or other pteridophyte. Occasionally the term is also used to describe the young ...

that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some species, hence the common name wreath lichen. The main vegetative body (

thallus Thallus (plural: thalli), from Latinized Greek (), meaning "a green shoot" or "twig", is the vegetative tissue of some organisms in diverse groups such as algae, fungi, some liverworts, lichens, and the Myxogastria. Many of these organisms wer ...

) lacks a cortex (

ecorticate A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.substrate Substrate may refer to: Physical layers *Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached ** Substrate (locomotion), the surface over which an organism lo ...

byssoid Lichens are composite organisms made up of multiple species: a fungal partner, one or more photosynthetic partners, and sometimes a basidiomycete yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a characteristic known as their g ...

(whispy, like teased wool). The medulla is white, well defined, and often peppered with

calcium oxalate Calcium oxalate (in archaic terminology, oxalate of lime) is a calcium salt of oxalic acid with the chemical formula . It forms hydrates , where ''n'' varies from 1 to 3. Anhydrous and all hydrated forms are colorless or white. The monohydrate ...

crystals. Ascomata are not well defined, being cushions of soft white mycelium immersed in the medullary tissue, hence the name from the Greek ''krypto'' = "to conceal" and ''theke'' = "a container or sheath". There are about 45 described

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

in the genus according to one source, and 75 species according to another. The genus is in the family

Arthoniaceae The Arthoniaceae are a family of lichenized, lichenicolous and saprobic fungi in the order Arthoniales. The Arthoniaceae is the largest family of Arthoniales, with around 800 species. Most species in Arthoniaceae belong in '' Arthonia'' which is ...

. It contains '' Trentepohlia'', a

green alga The green algae (singular: green alga) are a group consisting of the Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister which contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/Streptophyta. The land plants (Embryophytes) have emerged deep in the Charophyte alga as ...

, as its

photobiont A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

.Brodo, I. M., S. D. Sharnoff, and S. Sharnoff. 2001. Lichens of North America. Yale University Press: New Haven. At least one species, ''

Cryptothecia rubrocincta ''Cryptothecia rubrocincta'' is a species of lichen in the fungal family Arthoniaceae. The species is distributed in subtropical and tropical locations throughout the southeastern United States, as well as Central and South America, and has bee ...

'', has been used in Brazil as a source of dye.Mors, WB. 1966. Useful Plants of Brazil. Holden-Day, Inc., San Francisco. Page 57.

Species

*''

Cryptothecia alboglauca ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – India *''

Cryptothecia albomaculans ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia albomaculatella ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Thailand *''

Cryptothecia aleurinoides ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Thailand *''

Cryptothecia atropunctata ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia austrocoreana ''Cryptothecia austrocoreana'' is a species of crustose and corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in South Korea, it was formally described as a new species in 2017 by Jung-Jae Woo, László Lőkös, Edit Farkas, ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia bengalensis ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – India *''

Cryptothecia calusarum ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – USA *''

Cryptothecia chamelensis ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Mexico *''

Cryptothecia darwiniana ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Galápagos Islands *''

Cryptothecia duplofluorescens ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Brazil *''

Cryptothecia elata ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia elongata ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia eungellae ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia evergladensis ''Cryptothecia evergladensis'' is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) and crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Florida, USA, it was formally described by lichenologist Frederick Seavey in 2009. The type specimen was collect ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia exilis ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia fabispora ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Brazil *''

Cryptothecia farinosa ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – India *''

Cryptothecia fuscopunctata ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia galapagoana ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Galápagos Islands *''

Cryptothecia inexspectata ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia isidioxantha ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia lichexanthonica ''Cryptothecia lichexanthonica'' is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Brazil, it was formally described as a new species in 2013 by Edvaneide Leandro de Lima, André Aptroot, and Marcela Eugeni ...

'' – Brazil *''

Cryptothecia macrocephala ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Brazil *''

Cryptothecia methylmicrophyllinica ''Cryptothecia methylmicrophyllinica'' is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in Java, it was formally described as a new species in 2007 by André Aptroot and Jos Leo Spier. The type specimen was c ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia multipunctata ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – India *''

Cryptothecia odishensis ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – India *''

Cryptothecia punctosorediata ''Cryptothecia punctosorediata'' is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Arthoniaceae. Found in northern Thailand, it was formally described as a new species in 2005 by Laurens Sparrius. The type specimen was c ...

'' *'' Cryptothecia randallii'' – USA *''

Cryptothecia rhizophora ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Brazil *''

Cryptothecia rosae-iselae ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Bolivia *''

Cryptothecia scripta ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia stockerae ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – Seychelles *''

Cryptothecia submacrocephala ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – USA *''

Cryptothecia subnidulans ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia superphyllinica ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' *''

Cryptothecia verruculifera ''Cryptothecia'' is a genus of white to greenish crustose lichens that grow on bark, wood, or leaves. in tropical or subtropical areas worldwide. It has a conspicuous prothallus that develops around its periphery which can be bright red in some s ...

'' – India

Species

References

Further reading