Lecidea hassei ( Hasse's lecidea lichen) is an endolithic lichen that appears as tiny black, gray rimmed, plate-like or crinkled discs between crystals of rock in California.[ The main body grows inside solid rock (endolithic), and the crinkled discs above the rock surface are the sexual reproduction structures.][ It is endemic to California, where it only grows in the lower montane belt, including in deserts and chaparral.][The Lichen Flora of Joshua Tree National Park An Annotated Checklist, Kerry Knudsen, Mitzi Harding, Josh Hoines, National Park Service, [1]] It occurs in Joshua Tree National Park.[ Lichens, Joshua Tree National Park, National Park Service] The sexual reproduction structures (apothecia) are black, thinly rimmed (70–100 micrometre ) with unpigmented fungal tissue surrounding black discs in the middle, and up to 2.2 mm in diameter.[ They rise out of the rock in a flat to convex disc with a constricted base,][ giving the appearance of tiny raised plates. It grows in open areas on granite, schist, and other acidic rock.][
It resembles Lecidea laboriosa but produces schizopeltic acid as a metabolite, instead of 4-O-demethyl planaic acid.][ The botanical name honors H.E. Hasse, who wrote the 1913 "Lichen Flora of Southern California".][ Lichen spot tests are negative on both the cortex and medulla (K−, C−, KC−, P−).
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