liverwort/lichen id

[diggleken]

Hello all,
apart from a few common lichen, cladonia, xanthoria and peltigera spp, I am a rank beginner with lichens and liverworts. There.
Given that, can you help with this lichen, but I suspect liverwort ,with nice round cups?
Growing on beech hedging.

Cheers
Ken

[poschiavanus]

Its the lichen Xanthoria parientina: growing in shade they dont have the usual yellow colour.

[CapAndBracket]

Probably another common one, it's certainly abundant here,
growing on bare ground (boulder clay).

Cheers J.P.

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by poschiavanus

Its the lichen Xanthoria parientina: growing in shade they dont have the usual yellow colour.

Brilliant - I thought it was so similar, but the colour and green cups threw me!
I live and learn.
Does this apply to other lichen spp too?
Thanks a lot.
Ken

[Fauna]

Originally Posted by CapAndBracket

Probably another common one, it's certainly abundant here,
growing on bare ground (boulder clay).

Cheers J.P.

This is one of the Reindeer lichens? a Cladonia. Possible Cladonia Rangiformis?


Regards Chris.

[poschiavanus]

Agree with Fauna, a Cladonia. Compact branching habit certainly restricts options, but I'd like a more detail close-up before going further. Seward in Crawley (2005) lists some 34 Cladonia spp. for Berks, but many have the trumpet like podetia rather than the branching structure shown here. I'll have another look later.

[CapAndBracket]

I will certainly collect some for better images (maybe under low power scope),
I should show a lot more interest in lichens as apparently they are mostly
ascomycete fungal partners.
Is there any specific tests i can do or will it be down to images of form,
i think this area maybe very interesting for lichens as boulder clay it is i
imagine acidic side of neutral, but as a former air base, there is a lot of
fragmented concrete about which wil be alkaline, so i assume could cause
a confusing mix of species.
Many thanks for any help/advice.

Cheers J.P.

[poschiavanus]

JP, if its fruiting, i.e., has apothecia or perithecia, the best thing is to, wait for it, look at the spores!

A good place to start is with Xanthoria parientina, using a half safety razor blade cut a thin section and make a temporary mount in water. You have a good chance of seeing spores and the structure of the hymenium just as you would with any other asco (x 400). Dont have the details in front of me, but theyre probably on Alan Silverside's site.

Its way easier to discriminate between various structures under the dissecting microscope (particularly whether sorediate or isidiate). With a section you can also see where the algal cells are located (possible but not so simple with a hand lens).

Have fun,

posch

[CapAndBracket]

The Cladonia.sp as close as i can get the camera.


X20


Cheers J.P.

[CapAndBracket]

Couldn't resist these growing directly on a pebble.



Next to above on a fragment of stone.


Same as above, X20

Cheers J.P.