Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2004. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 2.
Thallus: crustose, or +lacking; prothallus: not visible or very indistinct surface: if present, white, esorediate medulla: white, I- or I+ pale blue Apothecia: black, or dark gray, sessile, with a constricted base, c. 1.2 mm wide but up to 2.2 mm wide disc: black, flat or slightly convex, well developed, indistinctly pruinose margin: often dark gray, persistent, often somewhat undulate in old apothecia exciple: epihymenium-like, black to greenish black peripherally, unpigmented but densely inspersed by tiny crystals within, 50-140 µm wide epihymenium: brownish green to olive or bright green (cinereorufa-green), 10-13 µm thick hymenium: hyaline, (45-)55-85(-100) µm tall; paraphyses: simple, rarely branched and anastomosing with pigmented and capitate apical cells 3.5-4.5 µm wide subhymenium: hyaline or pale bluish green (cinereorufagreen), 35-70 µm thick hypothecium: unpigmented to pale ochre asci: clavate, Lecidea-type, 50-65 x 11-15 µm, 8-spored ascospores: hyaline, simple, ellipsoid to oblong (10.5-)13-16(-21) x (3.5-)4.2-6.3 (-8) µm, length-width ratio 2.1-3.2 Pycnidia: immersed in tiny areoles of 0.15-0.25 mm in diam., graphidoid conidia: filiform, +straight, 12-22 x 0.7-1 µm [studied in 1 specimen] Spot tests: exciple C+ red; medulla K-, C+ pink, KC+ pink, Secondary metabolites: lecanoric acid and usually schizopeltic acid. Substrate and ecology: in open habitats on granites, schist and other acidic rocks World and Sonoran distribution: rare in southern California, only known from mountain ranges around Los Angeles at elevations between 300 and 1700 m. Notes: Because of the margins of (old) apothecia are often gray, Zahlbruckner used for this lichen the epitheton "cinerata" (Latin: cinis = ash, cinereus = ash gray). Lecidea cinerata is a member of the Lecidea plana group, that is characterized by its C- reaction of the exciple.