Crossword-Solution: EXCIPLE 7 letters, 1 clue 🏆 scrabble score: 18

Within the _Lecideaceae_, the line of evolution seems to have been in the direction of a well-developed exciple and from simpler to more complex spores.

Rarely the thallus extends upward as a veil which surrounds the apothecia laterally and suggests how the thalloid exciple of higher families probably arose.

Thallus granulose to verrucose and subareolate, sometimes inconspicuous and evanescent; apothecia minute to middle-sized, adnate or more or less immersed, exciple usually prominent and persistent, but sometimes becoming covered, disk flat to convex; hypothecium and hymenium pale to brown; spores simple, hyaline, minute, numerous in each ascus.

Thallus smooth, roughened, or verrucose, in some species chinky to areolate, or even subsquamulose, rarely rudimentary and evanescent; apothecia minute to middle-sized, usually adnate, but rarely sessile or immersed, with pale to black, and flat to strongly convex disk; exciple and hypothecium from pale to dark brown in section; hymenium lighter, most commonly pale; spores simple, hyaline, 8 in each ascus.

Thallus commonly granulose, and often passing into verrucose and chinky conditions, but scarcely ever areolate, sometimes scant and evanescent; apothecia usually minute or small, and commonly adnate, exciple weak and often becoming covered; hypothecium and hymenium passing from pale through shades of brown, the former becoming darker than the latter, this rarely tinged blue or violet above; spores hyaline, 2-celled.