Picture taken on the 10th May 2008 at Parc de la Pedra Tosca, Bosc de la Tosca, Les Preses, Garrotxa, Catalonia, Spain, on volcanic rocks.
Crustose lichen, white-grey thallus, areolate, areoles separated showing prothallus. Apothecia partly immersed, with evident thalline margin, disc from dark brown to black.
Very similar to Buellia aethalea and very confused. Thallus in Buellia stellulata is more white and in Buellia aethalia is more grey-brown. Apothecia have more thalline margin in B. stellulata than in B. aethalea.
Spot reactions are necessary to distinguish both species:
B. aethalea medulla I+ blue
B. stellulata medulla I-
See:
C. Perez et alter (2003) Guía dos Liques de Galicia, pag. 130 and pag. 134
Nimmis & Martellos Italic