Four more coastal lichen needing ID help

[AlanS]

Hi Jenny

A problem you have in W. Ireland is that lichens will often be moister, and hence greener (alga showing through) than pictures in books. And you really shouldn't photograph lichens at all when they are really wet - even common things can look quite different and be difficult to recognise.

Anyhow, your mystery no. 4 is Squamarina cartilaginea - western coasts as well as on limestone in Great Britain, probably the same and under-recorded in your area.

Your number 3 is very wet and so difficult. Lecanora campestris can look similar in the rain and I get it in similar situations on the Ayrshire coast, but this is merely an alternative suggestion.

And your "Sphaerophorus" has flattened main branches ending in lots of fingers - it is Bunodophoron melanocarpon.

Alan

[JennyS]

Its good to see you back Alan!
Thank you for the correction and identifications - I've posted a separate thread with what I hope is Solenopsora here: Solenopsora query

A problem you have in W. Ireland is that lichens will often be moister, and hence greener (alga showing through) than pictures in books. And you really shouldn't photograph lichens at all when they are really wet - even common things can look quite different and be difficult to recognise.

Ah, that would explain some of the difficulty I've been having!

[AlanS]

Originally Posted by JennyS

Its good to see you back Alan!
Thank you for the correction and identifications - I've posted a separate thread with what I hope is Solenopsora here: Solenopsora query

Ah, that would explain some of the difficulty I've been having!

Sigh. After reading Jenny's Solenopsora thread, it is apparent that I was over-confident in my naming mystery lichen 4 as Squamarina, despite its strinking resemblence to same.

Jenny has suggested Solenopsora holophaea as a name to consider and I now think this must be the true identity of mystery lichen number 4 here. My reasoning (if 'reasoning' is in any way the right word) is given in the Solenopsora thread.

Alan