Lichens of Atlantic Woodlands in the South West

5 IS THE LICHEN BEARD-LIKE, HAIR-LIKE, OR STRAP-LIKE? 6 IS THE LICHEN CRUSTY, LUMPY OR PORRIDGE-LIKE? Plantlife Some key features to look Cilia on Parmotrema perlatum Plantlife is speaking up for England’s wild for when identifying lichens S41 Usnea florida Witches whiskers S41 Usnea articulata String-of-sausages lichen Ochrolechia androgyna A cudbear lichen Ochrolechia tartarea A cudbear lichen flowers, plants and fungi. From the open spaces Use a hand lens (preferably x10 of our nature reserves to the corridors of magnification) to examine them. Westminster, we’re here to raise their profile, celebrate their beauty and protect their future. Cilia Wiry black hairs on the upper surface or lobe margins. Wild flowers, plants and fungi play a fundamental role for wildlife and their colour Colour Of upper (and if visible, the lower) and character light up our landscapes. But surface. The colour of a species can vary eg depending on whether it is wet or dry. without our help this priceless natural heritage Fruits on Ochrolechia tartarea is in danger of being lost. Join us in enjoying Cyphellae and pseudocyphellae Pores the very best that nature has to offer. or cracks that expose the interior of the lichen, appearing as paler spots or lines Britain’s countryside. on the surface. Fruits Reproductive structures that soredia and fruits Save it with flowers. produce spores. They can be round discs, pimple-like or globular, and their colour Form Tassels of typically smooth threads, hanging down or across Patron: HRH The Prince of Wales. often contrasts to the lichen surface. Form Shrubby tufts on twigs and branches in the canopy with very the substrate but rarely anchored to it. Main stems resemble strings Form A thick, warty crust, usually without fruits. Form A thick, warty crust with numerous “jam-tart” fruits. Isidia on Parmelia saxatilis distinctive fruits. of sausages with inflated and constricted segments. Spiny branches Colour Whitish, pale grey to grey or greenish white. Colour White, pale grey to grey. Plantlife Hypothallus A dark mat on the lower Colour Pale grey-green. and comma-shaped pseudocyphellae sometimes present. Soredia/Isidia Round to irregular pale-green soralia that can join Soredia/Isidia None. 14 Rollestone Street, surface, often only visible between lobes Soredia/Isidia None. Colour Grey-green. to form a continuous crust. Fruit Frequent; dull orange-pink to pale-brown disc, thick rim. Salisbury, Wiltshire or at the margins. It may be thin and Fruit Usually abundant and very distinctive; a grey-green disc Soredia/Isidia None. Fruit Occasional; pale pinkish to orange-brown disc, a thick rim Notes Similar to O. androgyna. Also used in the production of SP1 1DX visible only as a dark stain, but when (up to 1cm diameter) with abundant grey-green projections from Fruit None. with soredia. traditional cudbear dyes. 01722 342730 well developed may be thicker and the margin, looking like sun's rays or eyelashes. Notes A member of the Usneion rather than Parmelion, it likes tree Notes When fertile often mistaken for O. tartarea (which has no velvet-like. [email protected] Notes Always without soredia and isidia. Other Usnea species are canopies and dry open situations. Highly sensitive to sulphur dioxide soredia). This is a common species in north and west Britain in a usually not so fertile. Most similar is U. subfloridana but this species pollution, it was once much more widespread in Britain but now range of lichen communities on acidic trees and rocks. It is used in Isidia Tiny projections on the surface has smaller discs (if any) and develops minute, wart-like soralia. appears to be making a comeback, perhaps due to improved air the production of traditional cudbear dye. www.plantlife.org.uk that may be nodular, granular, finger- quality and a warming climate. like, or branched like tiny fragments of ISBN: 978-1-910212-02-8 coral. They are a means of vegetative © March 2014 Ramalina farinacea Shaggy strap lichen Evernia prunastri Oak moss Pertusaria amara Bitter wart lichen Phaeographis dendritica A dark-spored script lichen reproduction. Soredia on Parmelia sulcata Plantlife International – the Wild Plant Conservation Lobe The rounded “leaf” of a leafy lichen. charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales, charity no 1059559. Lobules Small “secondary” lobes that Registered company no 3166339, registered in England develop on the margins or on the surface and Wales. of lobes. This guide is based on text written for Plantlife Cymru Rhizines Root-like structures that may and Plantlife Scotland by Andy Acton and Anna Griffith. be forked, branched, or just simple. Stiff wiry black rhizines occur on the undersides of many Parmelion species. All photos © Acton/Griffith 2013 except Melaspilea Psuedocyphellae on Cetrelia olivetorum lentiginosa © Bryan Edwards 2008, Usnea florida © Alan Soredia Floury powder or coarse Hale 2013, Parmelinopsis minarum © Neil Sanderson granules that often occur along ridges or 2008, Platismatia glauca © Ray Woods 2007 and the cracks on the surface, or on the lobe following © Tim Wilkins 2012: Hypotrachyna taylorensis, margins. They may be diffuse or arise in Parmotrema crinitum, Phaeographis dendritica and discrete structures (termed soralia). Like S41 Melaspilea soralia Usnea articulata. isidia, they are a means of vegetative lentiginosa reproduction. Lichens of Atlantic Form Short tufts of narrow, flattened branches. Form Short tufts of flattened branches with forked tips, often with Form A thin or thickish warty crust. Form Smooth crust, often white powdery, sometimes Colour Pale grey-green to yellow-green. a network of ridges. Colour Pale grey, grey to greenish grey. cracked like crazy paving. Rhizines on Hypotrachyna laevigata Soredia/Isidia Soredia in discrete oval soralia along branch margins. Colour Pale grey-green to pale yellow-green. Soredia/Isidia Soredia are white and rounded, and taste very Colour Creamy white, pale grey to grey-green. Woodlands in the South West Fruit Rare. Soredia/Isidia At first round and on ridges and lobe margins; later bitter (rub with a wet finger and taste). Soredia/Isidia None. The British Underside Same colour as upper surface. irregular, spreading and coalescing. Fruit Very rare. Fruit Flat ungrooved slits of varied shape (often star shaped) that give Lichen Society Guide 2 The Parmelion lichens of birch, Notes Similar to Evernia prunastri (see right), short-tufted Usnea Fruit Very rare. Notes Similar to another common wart lichen, P. albescens (but the appearance of writing; often look frosted and have pointed tips. species (but these have cylindrical branches) and other Ramalina Underside Whitish, occasionally with green patches. this does not taste bitter). Both of these wart lichens are common Notes A member of the Graphidion rather than Parmelion. alder and oak species; R. farinacea is the most common Ramalina species Notes Similar to Ramalina farinacea which has narrower lobes, and in a range of lichen communities on trees. Relatively common on smooth-barked trees and associated with on trees with acid bark. the upper and lower surfaces are the same colour. A common species ancient woodland. Host to the S41 parasitic fungus Melaspilea on a range of deciduous trees and used in the perfume industry. lentiginosa which suppresses the star-shaped fruits in favour of its own smaller, fleck-like ones (inset). This guide is for anyone interested in Finding and identifying lichens 1 IS THE LICHEN LEAFY WITH NUMEROUS BLACK, WIRY RHIZINES ON THE UNDERSIDE? 2 DO THE LOBES HAVE WAVY MARGINS AND/OR THE UNDERSIDE HAVE A BARE AREA NEAR THE MARGIN? 3 ARE THE LOBES INFLATED AND HOLLOW, WITH A SMOOTH UNDERSIDE WITHOUT BLACK RHIZINES? identifying some of the more conspicuous lichens of Atlantic woodlands in South Now for the good bit – arm yourself with a hand lens and get out into the woods. Parmelion species of lichen occur on bark, Hypotrachyna laevigata Smooth loop-lichen Hypotrachyna taylorensis Tailed loop-lichen Parmotrema crinitum Desperate Dan Parmotrema perlatum Sea-storm lichen Hypogymnia physodes Heather rags Menegazzia terebrata Tree flute West England, and aims to provide the or on mats of mosses/liverworts growing over bark. Some can tools to identify good and potentially also be found on mossy boulders and rocky outcrops. In very wet important lichen habitat. humid situations they may grow directly on rock. The occurrence of pale grey leafy lichens and extensive areas of Different species of lichen often grow whitish crusts on tree trunks is a good indication of the presence of this community. A good Atlantic woodland will together, forming distinct communities. often have populations of a range of the species described in The Parmelion community grows on trees this guide, and may include scarce or rare species. with very acidic bark, such as alder, birch soralia and oak. To identify a lichen first look at its growth form: ● Does it consist of leafy lobes? If so, see Sections 1 to 3 of this guide A companion guide (Guide 1) looks at the ● Is it shrubby, beard-like, or coral-like? If so, see Section 4 Lobarion community of lichens that grows and 5 of this guide on trees with mildly acidic or alkaline bark. ● Is it crusty, lumpy or porridge-like? If so, see Section 6 of this guide soralia What is a lichen? Use a x10 hand lens for these species. Additional key isidia with cilia soralia A lichen is a special association between a fungus and features to look for are explained on the back page. an alga. The fungus forms the main body of the lichen, Form Smooth, narrow lobes with square-cut tips. Form Densely overlapping lobes, looks scruffy; old lobes often hang Form Scruffy, wavy lobes with divided margins, isidia and stubble- Form Lobes with raised wavy margins, often with scattered black cilia.

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