Gneiss
Various stages in the development of the Lecidea genus are visible in the image. The black reproductive structures and the areolate thallus are clearly distinguishable. It is likely Lecidea lithophila, a pioneer species typical of acidic, iron-rich rocky substrates in the alpine-subalpine regions. It appears reddish especially when the substrate is rich in iron.
On this fragment of Alpine gneiss, Lecidea lithophila develops — a pioneer lichen that colonizes iron-rich rocky surfaces. Its black structures and reddish thallus tell the geological story of high altitudes.
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