Lichens on Forres Friends Land
- Heather Paul
- Aug 8, 2022
- 5 min read
Lichen and Lichenicolous Fungus Records
By Heather Paul
Lichens are a partnership between at least two organisms - usually a fungus and an alga which grow together. This is called symbiosis.
The fungus provides a protective home for the alga - protecting the alga from drying winds, strong sunlight and excessive wetting. The alga photosynthesizes in sunlight and makes food for both of them.
Lichens are seen as “indicators”. Some species need clean air whilst others thrive where there is pollution.
Image 1 shows a grey-green beard lichen (Usnea). This is one of the lichens which grow where the air is “cleaner”. In the Forres Friends of Woods and Fields (FFWF) wood it is found
frequently, hanging from twigs in little bunches. It contains usnic acid which has been used to make antibiotics, deoderants, toothpaste, and dye for clothes. Birds use it to make nests.
Image 2 shows Xanthoria parietina. Xanthos is Greek for golden-yellow and this lichen contains parietin which is a yellow pigment. It acts as a “sun-screen”, protecting the lichen from damaging ultra-violet.. This lichen grows well in more polluted areas, and is often found on bird perches as their droppings contain ammonia which benefits this lichen. It is also frequently found on Elder.
Lichens grow in many different places in the FFWF wood such as on the dry or wet side of trees, high up in the canopy or lower down near the base of the tree. Some grow on trunks of trees, others on tiny twigs. and some grow on old tree stumps. Most lichens prefer to be in the light rather than in dark places. Image 3 below on the left shows a twig with a mosaic of lichens completely covering the bark. Some lichens grow in lines on smooth bark or look like little stars as seen below in Images 4 and 5.
Image 5. Lichen in the shape of stars (above)
Below is Evernia Prunastri – called “oak moss” although it is a lichen and not a moss (see image 6). It has been used for many purposes – e.g., as a fixative for perfume, to make dyes, to make a hair powder by grinding it up with rose petals to whiten wigs. It contains an acid which has been used to make an antibiotic but also has been known to produce an allergy in woodcutters. Birds use it to make and camouflage their nests and tiny creatures take shelter in it.
Image 6. Evernia Prunastri
Lichens often colonise the lighter topside of branches. Some lichens grow on smooth bark e.g., beech, others prefer rough bark like oak. This is a picture of Chrysothrix candelaris or “gold-dust lichen” growing on an oak in the woods (see image 7) and the next photo is of a very tiny black “pin-head” lichen growing with it in cracks (see image 8).
Image 7. Chrysothrix candelaris or “gold-dust lichen” (above).
Trees have different bark acidity and their bark may be more or less water-absorbent. This can affect which lichens grow on them.
“Pine and larch - most acid(down to pH3.2)
birch, oak (pH3.8-5.8)
rowan, alder, beech, lime,ash (pH5.2-6.6)
elder, sycamore, field maple, apple, poplar, willow, elm - least acid (pH4.7- 7.1)
Bark pH is affected by pollution and may vary at different heights on the tree”
The land at Forres Friends of Woods and Fields mostly supports lichens growing on the trees and fenceposts. One lichen has been found growing on the ground in the fields but lichens are mostly unable to grow where there is higher vegetation eg long grass. Lichens also grow on rock but this site is not rocky. Lichens also grown on old fence posts (see image 9).
Image 9. Lichen growing on the tops and sides of the fencepost.
Lichens can be seen all year. Winter is a great time to look at lichens as they are easier to see
when there are no leaves on the trees and often there are broken branches lying on the ground after wind. As they are so tiny a x10 hand lens is useful to see their beautiful and intricate structures more clearly.
Lichen and Lichenicolous Fungus Record - Forres Friends of Woods and Fields:
81 species are listed. Some are marked LF . These are lichenicolous fungus which are fungus that grow on lichens.These are usually very small and sometimes they look like little black dots. Thanks to Brian Coppins who helped with identification.
19th December 2014
Pyrrhospora quernea on oak
Buellia schaereri on oak growing amongst...
Chrysothrix candelaris 2nd of September 2016
Chaenotheca trichialis growing with...
Chrysothrix candelaris (Gold Dust lichen). 17th of November 2018
Platismatia glauca
Calicium viride NJ042580 on Oak (Pinhead lichen)
Chrysothrix candelaris on Oak (Gold dust lichen)
Phlyctis argena 24th of April 2019
Evernia prunastri NJ044582 widespread “Oak moss”
Unguiculariopsis lettaui (LF) growing on...
Evernia prunastri 28th of October 2019
Pertusaria leioplaca 21st of March 2020
Melanohalea exasperata NJ042580 on Oak 21 of May 2020 - all found on a fallen Ash tree
Xanthoria parietina
Ramalina farinacea
Ramalina fastigiata
Ramalina fraxinea
Lecidella elaeochroma
Melanelixia subaurifera
Parmelia sulcata
Marchandiomyces coarallinus (LF) growing on...
Parmelia sulcata and on
Lecanora chlarotera s lat
Lecanora carpinea
Physconia distorta
Physcia stellaris
Physcia adscendens
Rinodina sophodes
Pseudevernia furfuracea var ceratea
Usnea hirta “Beard lichen”
Usnea subfloridana “Beard lichen”
Hypogymnia physodes “ Heather rags”” ( widespread on trees locally and on Heather)
Phaeophyscia orbicularis
Lichenochora aipoliae (LF) growing on Physcia stellaris
Usnea wasmuthii “Beard lichen”
Arthonia radiata “Asterisk lichen”
Heterocephalacria physciacearum (LF) growing on Physcia sp. 10th of June 2020
Kalchbrenneriella cyanescens (LF) on....
Usnea sp. on alder NJ043582 15th of January 2021
Cladonia macilenta on rotting stump 23rd of January 2021
Tuckermanopsis chlorophylla on Beech
Calicium salicinum on Oak lignum (pinhead lichen)
Unguiculariopsis thallophila (LF) growing on...
Lecanora chlarotera s lat 26th of January 2021
Bryoria subcana on Oak NJ042580 and on Beech
Lichenoconium erodens (LF) growing on...
Bryoria subcana and,
Parmelia sulcata and,
Evernia prunastri
Pertusaria pertusa on Beech “Pepperpots”
Opegrapha atra - A “script lichen" as it looks like writing
Melanelixia glabratula on Beech 27th of January 2021
Pertusaria amara on Oak
Cliostomum griffithii on Oak
Lecanora expallens 29th of January 2021
Briancoppinsia cytospora (LF)on..
Moribund Hypogymnia on Oak 2nd of February 2021
Hypocenomycis scalaris on Larch NJ 042579
Clypeococcum hypocenomycis (LF) on...
Hypocenomyce scalaris
Ochrolechia androgyna on Beech
Lecanora sarcopidoides on Larch NJ042579 - New to Vice County of Moray Nationally rare 3rd of February 2021
Anisomeridium polypori on Oak trunk NJ042580 5th of February 2021
Lepraria incana 15th of February 2021
Pseudoschismatomma rufescens on Oak NJ042580
Opegrapha varia
Parmeliopsis hyperopta on lignum NJ042580
Calicium glaucellum NJ042580 (pinhead) 17th of February 2021
Tremella hypogymniae (LF) on...
Hypogymnia physodes on Beech NJ042580 24th of February 2021
Xanthoria polycarpa on conifer
Lichenoconium xanthoriae (LF) growing on..
Xanthoria polycarpa
Lecanora confusa on dead twig NJ043581
Lecanora symmicta
Amandinea punctata
Porina aenea
Opegrapha niveoatra
Heather Paul, April 2022
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