Gyalecta nana is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen. It was first described in 1862 by the American lichenologist Edward Tuckerman. In 1969, AntonÃÂn VÃÂzda renamed the genus Gyalectina in an effort to denote its 12âÂÂ16 spores per ascus in comparison to the ⤠8 spores per ascus of Gyalecta, and research in 1982 posited that G. nana was synonymous with Cryptolechia nana. In 2019 molecular phylogenetics analysis suggested the most appropriate characterization again was Gylecta nana.
This crustose lichen has minute apothecia (fruiting bodies) with 10âÂÂ12 small, colorless spores per ascus.
The lichen is found on the bark of trees in South America and Africa.