On siliceous or sandstone rocks, usually in protected, dry and more or less vertical surfaces; also corticolous on old Fagus and Quercus in well-preserved forests, more rarely on Populus or Salix, in shaded or opened conditions.

Two chemotypes are known from the study area:

var. ochroleucum, syn. H. coccineum (Dicks.) Körb., H. coccineum var. ochroleucum (Neck.) Th. Fr.:

Belgium: Ard.: R.

Luxembourg: Ard.: RR, Lorr.: R.

France: - .

var. porphyrium (Pers.) J. R. Laundon, syn. H. porphyrium (Pers.) Zopf, H. coccineum var. porphyrium (Pers.) Th. Fr.:

Belgium: Mar.: R, Fl: AR, Camp.: RRR, Brab.: RRR, Mosan: RR, Ard.: R.

Luxembourg: Ard.: RR, Lorr.: AR.

France: - .

Lit.: Ba: 9, Di: 109-110, Ho: 131, La68: 77, NL84: 14, NL92: 170, Lambinon (1968b: 405).