I.D. please

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

I'm having trouble with this one, not sure if it's fungi or lichen. It was on the north side of an oak tree. Close up it looks like a bunch of ( candle snuff like ) fingers which are white with yellow on the last quarter or so.

Anyone have an idea?






Thanks,

neil

[FungiJohn]

Originally Posted by wildlifesnapper

Hi

I'm having trouble with this one, not sure if it's fungi or lichen. It was on the north side of an oak tree. Close up it looks like a bunch of ( candle snuff like ) fingers which are white with yellow on the last quarter or so.

Anyone have an idea?






Thanks,

neil

Lichen Neil .. but which one Posch should be able to help

John

[wildlifesnapper]

Candelariella vitellina

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by wildlifesnapper

Candelariella vitellina

hi

I don't think so: Candelariella vitellina is crustose, with a flattened granular thallus; it's also rather rare on bark

I think that this could be the alga Trentepohlia: see http://www.nature-diary.co.uk/nn-ima...entepohlia.jpg

and

http://www.alm-neu.de/Blam_Exkursion...entepohlia.jpg

cheers

Chris

[wildlifesnapper]

Thanks Chris,

just had a browse on the net and it does fit very well, and does like Oak bark.

Never thought of algae , I was stuck in the lichen rut

cheers,

neil

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by wildlifesnapper

Never thought of algae , I was stuck in the lichen rut

neil

You're not that far away Neil; Trentepohlia can also form the phycobiont (algal partner) of quite a number of lichen genera

I think the algal partner of Candelariella is generally a Trebouxia (but stand to be corrected)

regards

Chris

[poschiavanus]

I'd agree with Chris, this is Trentepohlia. Amazing stuff.

There are a couple of lichens which are quite difficult to tell apart from it (can't think what they are for the moment), but the (tufted) growth habit in the photo is distinctly the alga alone.

There are a number of threads showing trees with lots of it on the trunk.

posch