24138_Lichen_Scot_24138_Lichen_Scot 11/12/2009 16:18 Page 1

Key features The central elastic strand in Usnea species (e.g. U. filipendula) 3 SHRUBBY BEARD, HAIR & CORAL LICHENS The use of a hand lens (pr eferably of x10 magnification) is recommended to examine and appreciate some of the key features of the lichens in this guide . A (x10) in the text indicates when a hand lens is necessar y. Colour Ramalina farinacea Shaggy Strap Lichen Evernia prunastri Oak Moss Sphaerophorus globosus A Coral Lichen Usnea filipendula Fishbone Beard Lichen The colour of upper (and if visible the lo wer) surface can be very variable between wet and dry states. In this guide, the descriptions are for dry lichens unless otherwise noted. Growth form of the thallus (the main body of the lichen) Leafy (foliose): thallus consists of leafy lobes. Lobes may be loosely attached or adpressed Fruits on Hypogymnia physodes (closely pressed) to the substrate.

Squamulose: thallus consists of tiny lobes or leaf-like scales (squamules). The squamules may overlap like roof shingles and are not always obvious (they can appear crustose to the naked eye). LICHENS OF SCOTTISH Shrubby (fruticose): thallus often tufted; composed of narrow cylindrical, or flattened strap- shaped branches. PINEWOODS Crustose: thallus is a crust that may be thin, thick, smooth, wrinkled, powdery, granular or cracked like dried mud. Crustose species are adpressed (closely pressed) to the substrate. Some species have concentric growth rings at the margin. Guide 1: Leafy and shrubby lichens on pine, birch, Isidia on Pseudevernia furfuracea Features that may be present on the upper surface alder and deadwood Fruits: sexual reproductive structures that produce spores. They can be round discs, pimple-like or globular. They can be brownish, pinkish, orange-brown or black, and may have a margin that is the same colour as the thallus (a thalline margin).

Isidia: tiny thallus projections (x10) that are involved in vegetative reproduction. They may be nodular, granular, finger-like, or branched like tiny fragments of coral (coralloid). Eroded or Short pale green tufts of narrow, flattened branches with discrete Short yellow-green tufts of flattened branches with f orked tips and Irregularly branched, pale greyish/brownish cylindrical stems, though Elongated green tufts (to c. 30cm) like fish bones hanging from granular isidia can be mistaken for granular soredia. oval soralia. Col: pale yellow-green to pale grey-green. Sored: irregular soralia; often with a network of ridges. Col: pale yellow- these can be grazed (e .g. by deer) to form neat dense cushions. branches/trunks due to distinctive branching pattern. Col: grey- discrete oval soralia along branch margins. Fr: rare. Lower: same green to pale grey-green. Sored: at first round, on ridges and lobe Col: pale grey to pale green-grey, main branches often orange- green to yellow-green. Isid/sored: isidia develop on soredia or Pseudocyphellae: pores or cracks that expose the interior of the thallus and so a ppear as paler colour as upper. Note: Ramalina species are generally more margins; later irregular, spreading and coalescing. Fr: very rare. brown. Isid/sored: none. Fr: occasional; globular swellings at on warts, mostly on the main stem (x 10). Fr: very rare. Similar spots or lines. Pseudocyphellae on the upper surface ma y develop soredia. Soredia on Hypogymnia physodes abundant on nutrient rich bark, especially on branches/twigs, but R. Lower: whitish, occasionally with green patches. Note: a branch tips burst to reveal a dark powder of spores. Similar to: to: short forms can be mistaken for other Usnea species. Note: Soredia: floury powder or coarse granules (like caster sugar, x10) that are involved in vegetative farinacea is the most common species on tr ees with acidic bark. common species on a range of deciduous tr ees. Similar to: The AWI species Bunodophoron melanocarpum can occur on old mainly on pine and birch. reproduction. They often occur along ridges or cracks on the surface , or on thallus margins, and Similar to: short-tufted types of Usnea species (Beard lichens, Ramalina farinacea (narrower lobes; upper and lower surfaces the pine, birch and alder in western pinewoods; it has more flattened may be diffuse or arise in discr ete structures (soralia). which have cylindrical branches). Also see Evernia prunastri. same colour). stems than S. globosus (see The Lichens of Atlantic Woodlands: Guide 2). Features that may be present on the lower surface Rhizines: root-like structures that can be thick and fluffy, thin and wiry, pale or dark. Under a Usnea subfloridana Beard Lichen Usnea hirta Shaggy Beard Lichen Alectoria sarmentosa Witch’s Hair Bryoria fuscescens Horsehair Lichen hand lens (x10) they can appear simple, forked or branched. Abbreviations for features that are used in the species descriptions AWI = Ancient Woodland Indicator species, NS = Nationally Scarce, Col = colour, Isid = isidia, Sored = soredia, Fr = fruit, Lower = lower surface. Marginal soredia on Further information Tuckermanopsis chlorophylla Books basal holdfast Lichens: An Illustrated Guide to the Br itish and Irish Species. Frank Dobson. 5th Edition (2005). Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd. This is the best identification guide to most of the common lichens of a range of habitats. Lichens. Oliver Gilbert (2000). Collins New Naturalist series. Harper Collins, London. This is a highly readable account of lichen ecolog y and habitats in Britain including a g ood chapter on woodland lichens. Lichens of Atlantic Woodlands Guides: 1 and 2. Plantlife Scotland (2008). Two water resistant fold-out field guides to lichens in Atlantic woodlands. The Montane Heathland Lichen Guide. Andrea Britton (2008). Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen. A useful field booklet that includes a number of the lichens that are commonly found on the forest floor in pinewoods. Rhizines on Hypotrachyna laevigata Information and advice www.bls.org.uk The British Lichen Society (BLS) has inf ormation on lichens, publications, courses and web links. www.nwdg.org.uk The Native Woodland Discussion Group (NWDG) runs courses on Shrubby green tufts of narrow, cylindrical branches with basal Shrubby grey-green, often densely shaggy tufts with numerous long woodland lichens. attachment point distinctly blackened. Col: pale green to grey-green. spine-like isidia and a pale basal attachment point. Col: grey-green. www.britishlichens.co.uk The britishlichens website has useful photos of many British species. Isid/sored: small rounded soralia that often develop tiny isidia (just Isid: numerous long spine-like isidia. Fr: occasionally present, AWI NS Elongated pale yellow-green tufts of very narrow, hair-like Elongated green-brown tufts of very narrow, hair-like branches visible x10). Fr: occasionally present, rounded pale greenish with rounded pale greenish with distinctive long marginal spines. branches with elongate pseudocyphellae (x10). Col: pale yellow- with discrete soralia. Col: greenish brown, brown to dark brown. Advice and support distinctive long marginal spines. Lower: not applicable. Similar to: Lower: not applicable. Similar to: U. subfloridana (soralia, distinctly green, to creamy yellow. Isid/sored: absent. Fr: rare. Similar to: Sored: discrete oval soralia along branches. Fr: very rare. British Lichen Society Plantlife Scotland can help you in your quest for information and support. short-tufted types of Strap lichens Ramalina species or Evernia prunastri blackened base). Also Ramalina species, Evernia prunastri and other when hanging from branches easily mistaken for Usnea filipendula. U. Similar to: other Bryoria species but B. fuscescens is by far the Plantlife Scotland, Balallan House, Allan Park, Stirling FK8 2QG (all have flattened, strap-shaped branches). Also see Usnea hirta Usnea species (refer to U. subfloridana description). Notes: very filipendula has isidia and if you gently pull the strands lengthwise they commonest. Tel: +44 (0)1786 478509 www.plantlife.org.uk [email protected] Notes: the commonest shrubby Usnea species with a blackened base limp when wet. Very common on birch and pine in eastern are stretchy due to a spring y central strand (like knicker-elastic); © November 2009 ISBN 978-1-907141-10-2 This guide has been written and illustra ted Plantlife Scotland is part of Plantlife International – the Wild Plant Conservation charity, a charitable company limited by for Plantlife Scotland by Andy Acton. All occurring in pinewoods and drier birchwoods, and the only Usnea pinewoods. Scarce in the west. Alectoria has no such springy central strand. Note: on pine, birch guarantee. Registered charity no SC038951. Registered company no 3166339, registered in England. photos © Acton/Griffith 2009 likely to be found fertile in Scottish pinewoods. and alder in old pinewoods. 24138_Lichen_Scot_24138_Lichen_Scot 14/12/2009 14:28 Page 2

Introduction 1 MEDIUM TO LARGE LEAFY LICHENS 2 TINY LEAFY LICHENS This Plantlife field guide is for anyone interested in lichens and brown filamentous lichens that look like hair. It can be identifying some of the more conspicuous lichens found in very similar to the Parmelion community but in the Physodion Scottish native pinewoods. It looks at leafy and shrub by community the brownish Hair lichens (Bryoria species) are generally lichens that grow on trees with very acidic bark and on dead much more common. wood. A companion guide (Lichens of Scottish pine woods: Hypogymnia physodes Heather Rags Hypotrachyna laevigata Smooth Loop Lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea Tree Moss Platismatia norvegica Old Growth Rag Lichen Imshaugia aleurites Spiky Starburst Lichen Parmeliopsis hyperopta Grey Starburst Lichen Guide 2) looks at scaly and crustose lichens found in these The Lobarion: The Lobarion can occur on mildly acidic bark but habitats and at lichens found on trees and shrubs with less this community is scarce in eastern pinewoods. It is mainly acidic bark such as rowan. associated with old rowan and rain seepage tracks below damaged bark of old birch but, if present, other tree and shrub species such as What are Scottish pinewoods? hazel, aspen, willow or old oak can be impor tant. Five species are They are semi-natural woodlands containing a significant proportion described in this guide: Nephroma laevigatum, Degelia plumbea and of Scots pine and often including dead pine . Scots pine and/or birch three Lobaria species. The Lobarion community is best developed in may be the dominant tree species, and there is often some rowan, Atlantic woodlands and is dealt with more fully in The Lichens of and more locally, alder and willow. Some pinewoods may also have Atlantic Woodlands: Guide 1 (Acton & Griffith, for Plantlife Scotland, aspen, hazel, oak and, especially in the east of Scotland, an 2008). understorey of juniper. inflated lobes The Usneion: This community is typically found occurring as What is a lichen? greenish shrubby tufts, especially on branches and twigs in the A lichen is an association between a fungus and a photosynthetic canopy. Greenish shrubby lichens (Strap lichens, Oak Moss and partner. The fungus forms the main body of the lichen (the thallus), Beard lichens) are frequent on twigs and branches of br oadleaved usually including a protective, opaque upper surface that can be gr een, trees in unpolluted areas. The Beard lichens (Usnea species) are yellow, orange, reddish, brown, grey, whitish or bluish. The difficult to identify, often requiring chemical analysis. photosynthetic partner manufactures food using the energy of sunlight (photosynthesis). In most lichens the photosynthetic par tner is a green Important lichen micro-habitats Grey inflated hollow lobes, with lobe tips often raised to sho w The lichens in Scottish pinewoods are associated with several alga, but some lichens have a cyanobacterium (blue-green alga). brown underside or split to reveal distinctive soralia. Col: pale soralia micro-habitats: grey to green-grey. Sored: lobe tips split, turn up and develop AWI NS Pale grey-green rounded lobes with indented margins. Mosses and liverworts often grow with lichens. They have green 1 1 chlorophyll but no pigmented protective upper surface, and most • Trees and shrubs with very acidic bark, for example, pine, soredia on underside. Fruits: scarce; red-brown disc, thalline AWI Pale grey smooth, narrow lobes with square-cut tips and Narrow strap-shaped grey lobes (can appear shrubby), with Upper surface with very distinctive network of pale sharp ridges. AWI Tiny narrow ( -3mm wide) whitish to pale grey, often shiny Tiny, very narrow (to mm wide) closely adpressed lobes that species are semi-translucent green or yellowish green, although some birch, alder and non-native conifers. margin. Lower: black, brown near margin; no rhizines. Similar discrete soralia. Col: pale grey to pale blue-grey. Sored: in discrete forked, antler-like branches, dark grey-black lower surface and Col: pale grey-green to grey-green, edges often tinged brownish. Isid: lobes with grey to brownish-grey isidia. Often closely attached to are matt pale greyish. Often forming neat rosettes are reddish purple. Unlike lichens, mosses and most liverworts have to: H. tubulosa Tube Lichen (typically on twigs; narrow, tubular globose soralia at lobe tips. Fr: scarce; dark brown disc, thalline distinctively forked branches. Col: grey. Isid: often abundant, may be present on ridges. Fr: not seen in Britain. Lower: brown, substrate and forming rosettes (‘starbursts’). Col: pale grey, edges (‘starbursts’). Col: matt pale grey to blue-grey but lobe tips • Trees and shrubs with less acidic bark , for example, rowan, a stem with leaves, although some liverworts consist of a thallus that lobes and discrete globose soralia on lobe tips that do not split). margin. Lower: black with numerous branched black rhizines (x10). giving the thallus a bristly appearance. Fr: scarce, olive to brown white or black; rhizines simple or branched, few or absent. Note: a and lobe tips often tinged brownish. Isid: grey often with brownish often shiny). Sored: pale grey to blue-grey. Discrete or could be mistaken for a lichen. aspen, willow, hazel and on bark along rain seepage tracks belo w damaged areas of old birch. The AWI species Menegazzia terebrata can occur on old birch and Similar to: H. taylorensis (no soredia - see The Lichens of Atlantic disc with thalline margin. Lower: usually black or mottled black rare species of old pine and bir ch woods on pine, birch, alder, oak and tips, often abundant and sometimes forming a crust. Fr: uncommon; forming a crust. Fr: rare. Lower: brown-black, with simple Why are lichens of Scottish pinewoods important? alder in western pinewoods but has distinctive holes in the thallus Woodlands: Guide 2). H. revoluta Powdered Loop Lichen (has diffuse and brownish-white; sometimes pinkish. Note: very common in rocks. Similar to: Platismatia glauca (more frilly, divided lobes – may red-brown disc, thalline margin. Lower: pale brown with simple rhizines. Similar to: Imshaugia aleurites (has isidia, thallus Lichens are important for biodiversity and as indicators of habitat • Deadwood: Dry, well-lit but sheltered wood without bark (see The Lichens of Atlantic Woodlands: Guide 2). Note: very soralia and distinctly down-turned lobes with rounded tips; it is more Physodion communites. Also known as Antler Lichen. have a network of ridges but they are not distinctively sharply ridged). brown rhizines. Similar to: Parmeliopsis hyperopta (has soralia, lower often shiny x10) and P. ambigua (yellow-green). Note: on quality. There are around 1850 species in the British Isles compar ed (lignum) is hard and rots slowly. A number of specialist pinewood common in a range of lichen comm unities. Also found on heather typical of less acidic Parmelion communities). Note: typical of the Parmelia sulcata and P. saxatilis both have much smaller lobes (to 0.5cm surface dark). Note: on pine, pine lignum, birch. pine, pine lignum, birch. species are associated with standing dead pines, leaning or fallen to around 1400 species of native flowering plants. Scottish that is not regularly burned – hence Heather Rags. Parmelion community. Common in the west, absent from the east. wide) than P. norvegica (lobes to c. 2.5cm wide). pinewoods support a number of specialist pinewood lichens that are dead pine trunks and dead limbs still attached to living pines. rare elsewhere in Britain. Many are tiny specialist species and identification requires microscopic examination. However, identifying their micro- Parmelia saxatilis Grey Crottle Parmelia sulcata Powdered Crottle Platismatia glauca ‘Frilly Lettuce’ Tuckermanopsis chlorophylla Powdered Ruffle Lichen Parmeliopsis ambigua Green Starburst Lichen Hypotrachyna sinuosa Green Loop Lichen Most lichens prefer clean air, and require habitats that are not habitats and the presence of the Calicion (‘pinhead’) community regularly disturbed. The woods with the most diverse lichen flora (by careful searching for tiny lichens that resemble stubble or have a varied topography, including river valleys, and a diverse pinheads) is relatively easy. In contrast, damp, shaded pine lignum woodland structure with glades and a range of tr ee and shrub species rots relatively quickly and these habitats (e .g. rotting trunks along including old trees and shrubs. In areas with historically low levels of the ground and well rotted stumps) can support a number of pollution some well-developed pinewood lichen communities may be common and widespread lichens (e.g. Cladonia species) that good indicators of ancient woodland. normally grow on the ground (terricolous lichens). This guide does not deal with these terricolous species. Lichen communities Distinctive lichen communities in pinewoods include: Lichen hunting! This is the fun bit! Arm yourself with a hand lens and explor e a The Calicion (the ‘pinheads’): This community is a specialist range of woodland habitats, such as old pines (including an y ‘granny’ fruits community found on very dry bark, bark recesses or deadwood that is pines, dead standing and fallen pines), tree stumps, old birch, old either not exposed to direct rainfall or dries very quickly (e.g. stumps rowan, riparian woods and wet woodlands. The occurrence of pale isidia soredia sheltered from direct rainfall, pine snags and standing pine ‘bones’). It is grey, pale blue-grey to pale green-grey leafy lichens, whitish crusts typically dominated by thin crustose species, some of which have tiny and brownish Hair lichens on tree trunks is a good indication of the stalked fruits that resemble stubble or pinheads under a hand lens. presence of the Physodion or Parmelion communities. The upper canopy will often have a well-developed Usneion community of The Parmelion: In this guide the Parmelion refers to the Parmelion shrubby green Beard and Strap lichens. An ancient pinewood will laevigatae community. It is best developed in the west of Scotland on often have good populations of a range of the species illustrated in trees with very acidic bark such as alder and bir ch and is absent from this guide, including some specialist pinewood species that are the eastern pinewoods. It is typically dominated by grey, leafy and ancient woodland indicators (AWI species). Some of the species Pale grey lobes with isidia that may form a network on raised Pale grey lobes with soralia and oval to elongated pale Pale greenish-whitish frilly lobes with wavy divided margins. Col: Brown to olive-brown (olive green when wet) with pale greyish Tiny, very narrow (to 1mm wide) closely adpressed lobes that are Very narrow yellow-green lobes with rhizines usually visible as a crustose lichens including the Smooth Loop Lichen Hypotrachyna described have a restricted distribution (e.g. some are common in laevigata. The Parmelion community is dealt with more fully in The the east of Scotland and absent in the w est or vice versa), and some ridges (surface can have a hammered appearance). Col: pale grey pseudocyphellae that may form a network on raised ridges pale grey-green to whitish green, sometimes brownish. Old parts soredia along raised wavy margins. Col: brown, olive-brown to matt yellow-green. Often forming neat rosettes (‘starbursts’). black ‘fuzz’ at lobe edges. Col: yellow-grey to yellow-green. Lichens of Atlantic Woodlands: Guide 2 (Acton & Griffith, for Plantlife are quite rare. Happy hunting! to pale green-grey, often with brownish lobe tips. Isid: simple to (surface can have a hammered appearance). Col: pale grey to of thallus often with reddish/pinkish patches. Isid/sored: often olive-green, greener when wet. Sored: along margins. Fr: rare. Col: matt yellow-green. Sored: yellow-green. Discrete or forming Sored: often with discrete globose soralia on raised lobe tips. Scotland, 2008). coralloid isidia, often brown-tipped (x10). Fr: occasional; red to pale green-grey, often with brownish lobe tips. Sored: develop with simple to coralloid isidia or gran ular soredia on margins. Fr: Lower: paler brown than upper, with sparse pale rhizines. Note: a crust. Fr: rare. Lower: brown-black, with dark simple rhizines Fr: not known. Lower: black, with numerous branched black Although common names have been used in this guide , few common brown disc, thalline margin with isidia. Lower: black, brown at along pseudocyphellae. Fr: occasional; red to brown disc, thalline very rare. Lower: brown, white or black; rhizines simple or most common in Physodion communites in the east. Similar to: (x10). Similar to: P. hyperopta (pale grey) and to a small rhizines (x10). Similar to: Parmeliopsis ambigua (soredia The Physodion: This is a typical community found on pine bark and names for lichens are universally accepted. Scientific names should margin; numerous simple (occasionally forked) black rhizines. margin with soredia. Lower: black, brown at margin; numerous branched, few or absent. Note: very common in several lichen brown forms of Platismatia glauca but brown forms of P. glauca Hypotrachyna sinuosa (discrete soralia on raised lobe tips; lower scattered over thallus rather than on raised lobe tips; rhizines lignum and, in the east and central pine woods, is very common on always be used when recording lichens to avoid ambiguity. other trees with very acidic bark such as birch and alder. It is Note: very common in a range of lichen comm unities. A simple (occasionally forked) black rhizines. Note: very common communities. Similar to: Platismatia norvegica (see above). remain brown when wet. surface with branched black rhizines). Note: on pine, pine lignum, not readily visible at lobe edges). H. laevigata (not yellowish). typically dominated by grey and brown leafy lichens, grey crustose Front cover: Scots Pine © Laurie Campbell traditional source of dye. in a range of lichen communities. A traditional source of dye. birch. P. ambigua is much more common in the east than the w est. Note: mainly in western woods on acidic bark and lignum.