Ramalina cuspidata

My first fruiticose species under the microscope. The lichen showed 1-septate spores. Ramalina cuspidata is separated from Ramalina siliquose by having round (not flattened) branches, dark ostioles on the pycnidia and blackened thallus base.

Ramalina cuspidata

Diploschistes caesioplumbeus

A nice easy one for a change, although looking at it I didn't think it had lecanorine apothecia. The book describes it as urceolate lecanorine.

Diploschistes caesioplumbeus through the microscope

Diploschistes caesioplumbeus spore

Diploschistes caesioplumbeus apothecia section

Diploschistes caesioplumbeus

Unidentified

Another one to come back to in the future. I think this is an easy one but probably looking too hard and can't see past my mistake. Lecanora gangaleoides?
Hymenium 50µm
Epithecium 7.5µm
Spore: 12.5µm
Ascus: Lecanorine?

2.5µm increments

Porpidia cinereoatra

I found this group difficult and for me needed a lot of care and cross checking. The enclosed measurements were needed to get to my conclusion.
Hymenium: 112µm
Epithecium: 20µm
Spores: 15x7.5µm

Porpidia cinereoatra

Porpidia cinereoatra section

Porpidia cinereoatra section showing 2.5µm ruler

Porpidia cinereoatra through microscope

Porpidia cinereoatra ascus showing KI reaction

Rhizocarpon geographicum

Perhaps one of the most colourful lichens this Rhizocarpon geographicum has impressive spores to match it's exterior.

Rhizocarpon geographicum

Rhizocarpon geographicum spore

Porpidia macrocarpa

I had a what looked like a fuscidea ascus type reaction to this lichen which threw me for quite some time. However, if you add up the following you get to Porpidia platycarpoides and Porpidia macrocarpa. These two can be separated by K+ yellow medula on marcrocarpa and K+ red on medula of platycarpoides. There is also a difference in the height of the hymenium of these two. Here are the features of this lichen:
Apothecia up to 3mm
Spores simple and approx 20µm long
Crustose areolate white thallus
Black apothecia
On rocks
Thallus K+ yellow

Porpidia macrocarpa

Porpidia macrocarpa section

Porpidia macrocarpa spore

Porpidia macrocarpa ascus KI reaction

Porpidia macrocarpa through the microscope

Porpidia tuberculosa

I couldn't confirm this one under the microscope as it seems I collected mostly podetia. However it does seem likely that this species is Porpidia tuberculosa

Porpidia tuberculosa

Porpidia tuberculosa

Candelariella coralliza

Almost had this one down as Caloplaca flavocitrina but the K- reaction had me re-thinking. The 32-spored ascus was distinctive which led me to Candelariella of which only 3 species have this number of spores per ascus. The thallus was the eventual key to species level.

Candelariella coralliza

Candelariella coralliza section in K

Candelariella coralliza ascus

Lecanora sulphurea

A distinctive lichen which has lecanorine type apothecia where the exciple becomes excluded. The apothecia are immersed in the thallus and from the whole shot look concolourous with the thallus.

Lecanora sulphurea

Lecanora sulphurea section pre K

Lecanora sulphurea post K

Lecanora sulphurea through the microscope

Tephromela atra

Tephromela atra has a few similar looking lichens. T.atra apothecia disks become distorted whereas L.gangaleoides does not. In section the purple coloured hymenium is distinctive for this species.

Tephromela atra

Tephromela atra hymenium

Tephromela atra section after K added

Ramalina siliquosa

No very familiar with this group. Ramalina features are:

• Branching without fragile branchlets
• Apothecia if present
  concolourous with thallus
• Branches solid

ID for R.siliquosa are flattened thallus, pale ostioles on pycnidia and pale base of thallus.

Ramalina siliquosa

Unidentified

One to come back to in the future. I can't see any crystals in the exciple to make it a Lecanora. The other option could be Protoparmelia.

spore

apothecia section pre K

apothecia section post K

Opegrapha calcarea

Should be getting good with Opegrapha's by now but still took quite some time with this one. Ascospores measured 15µm long and 3-septate.

Opegrapha calcarea

Opegrapha calcarea

Opegrapha calcarea spores

Buellia subdisciformis

Despite the distinctive section I had trouble with this. Keying out left me with Amandinea, Buellia and Dactylospora. The presence of hyphae eliminated Dactylospora which is said to be a linchenicolous fungi. 

Buellia subdisciformis section showing hyphae and spores

Buellia subdisciformis section

Buellia subdisciformis

Caloplaca maritima

This one keyed out well for Caloplaca maritima in TLGBI. At first I wasn't sure of the apothecia type as you can see below but the K crimson reaction gave it's ID up as a Caloplaca species.

Caloplaca maritima

Caloplaca maritima

Caloplaca maritima section

Ochrolechia parella

A distinctive lichen and just as so under the microscope. The ascus was very thick walled and the spores measure 45-75µm long. The epithecium is C+ red, a useful tip in the field.

Ochrolechia parella

Ochrolechia parella ascus

Ochrolechia parella spore