Variospora cancarixiticola
Variospora cancarixiticola is a rock-dwelling lichen in the Teloschistaceae family. It grows only on cancarixite, a unique alkaline volcanic rock that occurs only in southeastern Spain.
The species was first described in 2000 as Caloplaca cancarixiticola by Pere Navarro-Rosinés, José Egea, and Xavier Llimona. The type specimen came from the Sierra de las Cabras between Agramón and Cancárix in Albacete, at about 671 meters above sea level. Because it grows on cancarixite, a distinctive rock, the name cancarixiticola was chosen. It was noted to resemble Caloplaca aurea, and for a time was placed in the Caloplaca group.
In 2013, based on molecular studies, it was moved to the genus Variospora.
Description: The lichen forms crust-like patches with a flat, radiating edge (placodioid growth) and appears yellow-orange to reddish-orange, forming rosettes up to about 4 cm across. It produces small, round fruiting bodies on the surface, about 0.5–1.7 mm in diameter, scattered or in small groups. Each sexual spore (ascus) contains eight spores. The spores are colorless, narrow and ellipsoid, with two internal compartments, and measure roughly 16–22 by 4.5–6 micrometers.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:25 (CET).