About Diploschistes scruposus (Schreb.) Norman
Diploschistes scruposus, commonly called the crater lichen, belongs to the Graphidaceae family. It is a crustose lichen that ranges in color from pale gray to white, with a warty, cracked, or areolate body texture. Its fruiting structures, called apothecia, are black and urceolate, meaning they are shaped like urns. This species does not have a powdery white coating, a feature called epruinose, which sets it apart from other species in the Diploschistes genus. Diploschistes scruposus is a saxicolous lichen, meaning it grows on siliceous rock. It can be found worldwide in open habitats across Mediterranean, temperate, and polar regions, ranging from low tropical elevations up to high altitudes. Within California, it is the most common species of the Diploschistes genus.
