Synalissina

Synalissina is a genus of saxicolous (rock-dwelling) cyanolichens (lichens with cyanobacteria as the photosynthetic partner) placed in the family Lichinellaceae. These tiny lichens form blackish, variable growths, ranging from small leaf-like patches to dwarf cushions, on calcareous and mineral-rich rocks in exposed to partially shaded locations. The genus was originally described by William Nylander in 1886 but fell into disuse until it was resurrected in 2024 following DNA studies that reorganised cyanolichen classification. It comprises nine species distributed across boreal to warm-temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.