Flavoplaca

Flavoplaca is a genus of crust-like or scaly lichens in the family Teloschistaceae. It has about 30 species with a mostly Northern Hemisphere distribution. The genus was established in 2013 when genetic studies revealed that these species formed their own distinct evolutionary group, separate from other lichen classifications where they were previously placed. These lichens typically grow on limestone and other calcium-rich rocks, forming distinctive orange to yellow crusty patches that are particularly common in coastal environments and sunny locations. Most species grow directly on rock surfaces, but unusually for lichens, four species in the genus are parasitic and live on other lichen species instead.