Lichens on Forres Friends Land

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 algae photosynthesise in sunlight and make food for both of them.

Lichens are seen as “indicators”. Some species need clean air, whilst others thrive where there is pollution.

The photo 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, deodorants, toothpaste, and dye for clothes. Birds use it to make nests.   

This photo 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 ultraviolet.. 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. The photo below 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.

This is Evernia prunastri – called“oak moss” although it is a lichen and not a moss. It has been  used for many purposes – eg as a fixative for perfume, to make dyes,  and 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. 

Lichens often colonise the lighter topside of branches. Some lichens grow on smooth bark eg beech , others prefer rough bark eg oak. This is a picture of  Chrysothrix candelaris or “gold-dust lichen” growing on an oak in the woods and the next photo is of a very tiny black “pin-head”  lichen growing with it in the cracks.

Pin-head Lichen

Chrysothrix candelaris or “gold-dust lichen”

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.

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” https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/learning/lichen-ecology 

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.

List of lichens and lichenicolous fungus recorded - 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. 

19-12-14

Pyrrhospora quernea on oak 

Buellia schaereri on oak growing amongst Chrysothrix candelaris

2-9-16 

Chaenotheca trichialis growing with Chrysothrix candelaris  A pinhead lichen

17-11-18 

Platismatia glauca 

10-3-19 

Calicium viride   NJ042580   on Oak  A pinhead lichen  

Chrysothrix candelaris    on Oak  “Gold dust lichen” 

Phlyctis argena 

24-4-19   

Evernia prunastri  NJ044582    widespread   “Oak moss”  

Unguiculariopsis lettaui   (LF)  growing on Evernia prunastri 

28-10-19

Pertusaria leioplaca 

21-03-20

Melanohalea exasperata NJ042580  on Oak 

21-5-20   

All on fallen Ash  NJ042582  Most of these also grow on other trees eg on Oak     

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.

10-2-20   

Kalchbrenneriella cyanescens (LF) on Usnea sp. on alder NJ043582

15-1-21   

Cladonia macilenta   on rotting stump 

23-1-21  

Tuckermanopsis chlorophylla on Beech      

Calicium salicinum on Oak lignum   A pinhead lichen 

Unguiculariopsis thallophila  (LF) growing on Lecanora chlarotera s lat

26-1-21   

Bryoria subcana on Oak NJ042580 and on Beech 

Lichenoconium erodens (LF) growing on Bryoria subcana, Parmelia sulcata and   on Evernia prunastri 

Pertusaria pertusa on Beech  “Pepperpots” 

Opegrapha atra  A “script lichen “ looking like writing 

Melanelixia glabratula on Beech 

27-1-21   

Pertusaria amara on Oak  

Cliostomum griffithii on Oak 

Lecanora expallens 

29-1-21   

Briancoppinsia cytospora (LF)on moribund Hypogymnia on Oak 2-2-21   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 

3-2-21      

Anisomeridium polypori on Oak trunk NJ042580 

5-2-21      

Lepraria incana  

15-2-21 

Pseudoschismatomma rufescens on Oak NJ042580 

Opegrapha varia 

Parmeliopsis hyperopta on lignum NJ042580 

Calicium glaucellum NJ042580 (pinhead) 

17-2-21  

Tremella hypogymniae  (LF) on Hypogymnia physodes on Beech NJ042580

24-2-21 

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  “          “ 

27-2-21  

Telogalla olivieri (LF) growing on Xanthoria parietina 

Lichenochora galligena (LF) on Physciatenella/adcendens NJ046580 on Beech. New to Vice County of Moray 

Spirographa tricupulata (LF) on Physcia stellaris NJ046580. New to the British Isles. Previously only recorded in Austria 

Lecania naegelii 

10-3-21   

Caloplaca cerina on Elder NJ043580 

Peltigera didactyla on soil NJ043581 

20-3-21   

Everniicola flexispora (LF) on Evernia prunastri  NJ043580 

7-4-21      

Candelariella vitellina on top of fence post NJ044581 

Opegrapha vermicellifera on dead Elm NJ043582 

Bacidia rubella on Ash NJ047579 

Vouauxiella lichenicola  (LF) growing on a Lecanora species 

Xenonectriella physciacearum (LF) growing on Physcia aipolia/stellaris NJ047579

10-2-22   

Pronectria anisospora (LF) growing on Hypogymnia physodes on hawthorn                    

Abrothallus bertianus (LF) growing on Melanohalea exasperata on fallen twig 

Heather Paul,   April 2022