Four more coastal lichen needing ID help

[JennyS]

The four lichen below were all growing on coastal rocks, and my three IDs are very tentative - correction, confirmation, suggestions appreciated. The fourth I haven't any idea on at all!

1. Caloplaca thallincola?


2. Lecanora fugiens?


3. Protoparmelia montagnei?


4. Totally clueless

[poschiavanus]

Might not be much use: these are coastal lichens!

I'm with you on the first two.

Not particularly happy with Protoparmelia for 3. You don't have a scale but the apothecia look larger than the 2mm given by Dobson (e.g., if the yellow thallus bottom right is Xanthoria ectanoides). It also has a white prothallus (best seen just under the moss at top-right), which is not mentioned in Dobson for this species. Don't know what else to suggest.

4 ought to key out reasonably well, but it doesn't (not for me, anyway). I've been working to collate a few more keys for immediate usage, but this one doesn't run through. I suspect I'd do better with a habitat-based key. I think its reasonable to assume that this is a foliose lichen with a green/brown (not grey, not yellow) thallus and lecanorine apothecia. There appear to be numerous dark dots over the thallus (? possible cephalodia/pycnidia). Don't think I can see anything which look like isidia or soredia.

HTH,

posch

[JennyS]

Thanks posch - 3. was a hopeful long-shot, but I was thinking Xanthoria ectanoides for the one with it.
4. is a pain! It looked distinctive enough to be findable but having tried Dobson's keys and then looked at every species on every page I've not even found a maybe
Bigger photo here, but its not very sharp......

[poschiavanus]

Photo confirms what I said earlier. The dark things are clearer. I've tried the keys in Lichens of North America & Exkursionsflora Deutschland to no avail (they're pretty similar, as both are based on growth form).

I'm sure you share my frustration about getting to genus. Once there the ID problems are usually more tractable, or obviously require microscopy. The technique of looking at every picture in a book gets wearing after a while.

[JennyS]

The technique of looking at every picture in a book gets wearing after a while

Yes! Though one bonus of going through books and websites time and again is that every so often I'll come across a possible ID to check out for a totally different one.......like this one I posted a few weeks back ...

Is it Sphaerophorus globosus, growing on inland, heathy / mossy rock?

[poschiavanus]

Does look a good call, and there's a recent record nearby. Certainly far closer than Pseudevernia.

LoNA says "extremely variable". AlanS has a decent image.

Will have to look it out for it when I'm next in the west.

[poschiavanus]

Have a look at Solorina species and see if you think there is any resemblence to 4.

[JennyS]

Ah, thanks for that suggestion for 4 ......
Though going by the images here Lichen Gallery :: Solorina
mine seems to be midway between Solorina saccata and S. spongiosa

Re the possible Sphaerophorus globosus

Will have to look it out for it when I'm next in the west.

I can send you a grid reference to the rock in question when I manage to figure out how to work my GPS!

[poschiavanus]

I can send you a grid reference to the rock in question when I manage to figure out how to work my GPS!

I was more thinking West, as in Wales or Scotland! My one day on upland heath this year was spoilt by driving wind, hail and sub-zero temperatures. The only lichens I noticed were Rhizocarpon geographicum and Stereocaulon vesuvianum.

If I get to Ireland its most likely to County Donegal as I can get free accommodation on the Inishowen peninsula.

[JennyS]

I was more thinking West, as in Wales or Scotland!

Realised after I'd posted that west to me means an awful lot further west than west does to you!
Bet there are some good lichens in Donegal