A distinctive, crustose species with a whitish, pale grey or grey-brown, sorediate thallus that consists of discrete and scattered, or locally contiguous, areoles that are flat to slightly convex. Soralia are usually concolorous with the thallus, but sometimes greenish white. The prothallus is black and well developed and also visible between the areoles. When present, the apothecia have dull, black-brown, flat to convex, discs, at times with an umbo.
Medulla and soralia: UV+ bluish white
In Scotland, Fuscidea gothoburgensis has a scattered distribution concentrating in the central and western highlands. It is often found on vertical, more or less sheltered, siliceous rocks beneath overhangs. BLS distribution map
scottishlichens.co.uk 