Varicellaria hemisphaerica

Varicellaria hemisphaerica is a lichen that forms medium to thick growths in extended, conspicuous patches of pale bluish grey colouration. The prothallus (initial growth stage visible at the edges) is distinct, arranged in zones, and white in colour. The upper surface of the main body (thallus) ranges from smooth to uneven or warted in texture. A distinctive feature of this lichen is its soralia—specialised structures for asexual reproduction—which measure 1–2 mm in diameter. These soralia are markedly convex (dome-shaped) and often merge together. The soredia (powdery propagules contained within the soralia) have a granular appearance, ranging from pale to the same colour as the thallus, and measure 40–100 μm in diameter. Apothecia, which are cup-like fruiting bodies for sexual reproduction, have not been observed in this species. When tested with chemical spot tests, the soralia show characteristic reactions: they are C+ (carmine-red), K–, KC+ (red), and Pd–. Under ultraviolet light (UV), they may or may not display a glaucous (bluish-grey) fluorescence. These chemical reactions indicate the presence of lecanoric acid and an unidentified secondary metabolite in the lichen.

In Nepal, Varicellaria hemisphaerica has been reported from 2,400 to 3,366 m elevation in a compilation of published records.

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