Lichinellaceae

The Lichinellaceae are a family of minute lichen-forming fungi in the order Lichinales. These tiny cyanolichens typically form small, dark, cushion-like growths or inconspicuous crusts on rocks in sunny, dry locations. The family was established in 2024 following DNA studies that revealed the need to reorganise the classification of cyanolichens, as many traditional groupings did not reflect evolutionary relationships. Members are characterised by their distinctive reproductive structures called thallinocarps, which develop as swellings within the lichen body rather than as separate disc-like structures on the surface.