Verrucariaceae

Verrucariaceae is a family of lichens and a few non-lichenised fungi in the order Verrucariales. The lichens have a wide variety of thallus forms, from crustose (crust-like) to foliose (bushy) and squamulose (scaly). Most of them grow on land, some in freshwater and a few in the sea. Many are free-living but there are some species that are parasites on other lichens, while one marine species always lives together with a leafy green alga. Collectively, Verrucariaceae has a cosmopolitan distribution, although the majority of its species occur in temperate climates. Rocks and soil are the most common substrates, with growth on wood and bark less common. Among the rock-dwelling species, there are both epiliths (those that grow on the surface) and endoliths (those that grow “within” the rocks, i.e., under and around the rock crystals). Calcareous rocks are the most common substrate for the rock-dwellers, but some, especially those in aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats, grow on siliceous rocks. Some species grow on mosses, and some grow on leaves, including all species of genus Phylloblastia. Several Verrucariaceae species are components of biological soil crusts and contribute to the formation and stabilisation of soil, particularly in somewhat arid areas. As of 2015, there were 26 known marine Verrucariaceae, distributed amongst the genera Hydropunctaria (6 species), Mastodia (1 sp.), Verrucaria (16 spp.), and Wahlenbergiella (3 spp.)  Read more on Wikipedia.