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Lichens on Forres Friends Land

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.
Image 1.

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.
Image 2.

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 3. Mosaic of of lichens
Image 3. Mosaic of of lichens
Image 4. Lichen in lines on smooth bark
Image 4. Lichen in lines on smooth bark



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 8. Pin-head Lichen (above)
Image 8. Pin-head Lichen (above)

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

  1. Pyrrhospora quernea on oak

  2. Buellia schaereri on oak growing amongst...

  3. Chrysothrix candelaris 2nd of September 2016

  4. Chaenotheca trichialis growing with...

  5. Chrysothrix candelaris (Gold Dust lichen). 17th of November 2018

  6. Platismatia glauca

  7. Calicium viride NJ042580 on Oak (Pinhead lichen)

  8. Chrysothrix candelaris on Oak (Gold dust lichen)

  9. Phlyctis argena 24th of April 2019

  10. Evernia prunastri NJ044582 widespread “Oak moss”

  11. Unguiculariopsis lettaui (LF) growing on...

  12. Evernia prunastri 28th of October 2019

  13. Pertusaria leioplaca 21st of March 2020

  14. Melanohalea exasperata NJ042580 on Oak 21 of May 2020 - all found on a fallen Ash tree

  15. Xanthoria parietina

  16. Ramalina farinacea

  17. Ramalina fastigiata

  18. Ramalina fraxinea

  19. Lecidella elaeochroma

  20. Melanelixia subaurifera

  21. Parmelia sulcata

  22. Marchandiomyces coarallinus (LF) growing on...

  23. Parmelia sulcata and on

  24. Lecanora chlarotera s lat

  25. Lecanora carpinea

  26. Physconia distorta

  27. Physcia stellaris

  28. Physcia adscendens

  29. Rinodina sophodes

  30. Pseudevernia furfuracea var ceratea

  31. Usnea hirta “Beard lichen”

  32. Usnea subfloridana “Beard lichen”

  33. Hypogymnia physodes “ Heather rags”” ( widespread on trees locally and on Heather)

  34. Phaeophyscia orbicularis

  35. Lichenochora aipoliae (LF) growing on Physcia stellaris

  36. Usnea wasmuthii “Beard lichen”

  37. Arthonia radiata “Asterisk lichen”

  38. Heterocephalacria physciacearum (LF) growing on Physcia sp. 10th of June 2020

  39. Kalchbrenneriella cyanescens (LF) on....

  40. Usnea sp. on alder NJ043582 15th of January 2021

  41. Cladonia macilenta on rotting stump 23rd of January 2021

  42. Tuckermanopsis chlorophylla on Beech

  43. Calicium salicinum on Oak lignum (pinhead lichen)

  44. Unguiculariopsis thallophila (LF) growing on...

  45. Lecanora chlarotera s lat 26th of January 2021

  46. Bryoria subcana on Oak NJ042580 and on Beech

  47. Lichenoconium erodens (LF) growing on...

  48. Bryoria subcana and,

  49. Parmelia sulcata and,

  50. Evernia prunastri

  51. Pertusaria pertusa on Beech “Pepperpots”

  52. Opegrapha atra - A “script lichen" as it looks like writing

  53. Melanelixia glabratula on Beech 27th of January 2021

  54. Pertusaria amara on Oak

  55. Cliostomum griffithii on Oak

  56. Lecanora expallens 29th of January 2021

  57. Briancoppinsia cytospora (LF)on..

  58. Moribund Hypogymnia on Oak 2nd of February 2021

  59. Hypocenomycis scalaris on Larch NJ 042579

  60. Clypeococcum hypocenomycis (LF) on...

  61. Hypocenomyce scalaris

  62. Ochrolechia androgyna on Beech

  63. Lecanora sarcopidoides on Larch NJ042579 - New to Vice County of Moray Nationally rare 3rd of February 2021

  64. Anisomeridium polypori on Oak trunk NJ042580 5th of February 2021

  65. Lepraria incana 15th of February 2021

  66. Pseudoschismatomma rufescens on Oak NJ042580

  67. Opegrapha varia

  68. Parmeliopsis hyperopta on lignum NJ042580

  69. Calicium glaucellum NJ042580 (pinhead) 17th of February 2021

  70. Tremella hypogymniae (LF) on...

  71. Hypogymnia physodes on Beech NJ042580 24th of February 2021

  72. Xanthoria polycarpa on conifer

  73. Lichenoconium xanthoriae (LF) growing on..

  74. Xanthoria polycarpa

  75. Lecanora confusa on dead twig NJ043581

  76. Lecanora symmicta

  77. Amandinea punctata

  78. Porina aenea

  79. Opegrapha niveoatra





Heather Paul, April 2022

 
 
 

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