Greenish Mottled-disk Lichen
Trapeliopsis viridescens
The Greenish Mottled-disk Lichen is a crustose lichen species characterized by its distinctive greenish thallus with mottled, disk-like apothecia that give it its common name. This slow-growing epiphytic lichen forms thin, crusty patches on tree bark and plays an important ecological role as a pioneer species in forest ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling and providing microhabitat for invertebrates.
30
Countries
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Ascomycota
Class
Lecanoromycetes
Order
Baeomycetales
Family
Trapeliaceae
Genus
Trapeliopsis
Greenish Mottled-disk Lichen belongs to the family Trapeliaceae, order Baeomycetales, within the Lecanoromycetes class.
Species Profile
The Greenish Mottled-disk Lichen is a crustose lichen species characterized by its distinctive greenish thallus with mottled, disk-like apothecia that give it its common name. This slow-growing epiphytic lichen forms thin, crusty patches on tree bark and plays an important ecological role as a pioneer species in forest ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling and providing microhabitat for invertebrates.
Trapeliopsis viridescens faces severe threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and land conversion, particularly affecting the old-growth forests where this lichen species typically occurs. Air pollution and climate change further compound these pressures by altering the specific microclimate conditions and air quality that this sensitive lichen requires for survival.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Trapeliopsis viridescens grows exclusively on the smooth bark of mature deciduous trees, particularly favoring the north-facing sides of oak and beech trunks in old-growth temperate forests. The species requires specific microclimatic conditions with high humidity, filtered light, and minimal air pollution, typically found in undisturbed forest interiors at elevations between 200-800 meters.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Trapeliopsis viridescens faces severe threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and land conversion, particularly affecting the old-growth forests where this lichen species typically occurs. Air pollution and climate change further compound these pressures by altering the specific microclimate conditions and air quality that this sensitive lichen requires for survival.
Air pollution and acid deposition
Climate change and altered precipitation patterns
Habitat loss and deforestation
Changes in forest management practices
Forest fragmentation
Found in 30 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Greenish Mottled-disk Lichen (Trapeliopsis viridescens). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/greenish-mottled-disk-lichen