Possibly Caloplaca flavescens ?

Lancashire Lad · #1 (**permalink**) 21-03-2009, 02:57 PM

Found this yesterday, a solitary specimen of it's type on the top of a low stone wall.

I'm thinking that it looks like a Caloplaca sp. possibly C. flavescens, but would appreciate confirmation/other.

Regards
Mike.

AlanS · #2 (**permalink**) 24-03-2009, 01:38 AM

Certainly a Caloplaca, but C. flavescens is usually abundantly fertile.

I cannot quite make out the fine detail in the centre of the thallus, but it looks as though it might be sorediate (producing fine granules as a form of asexual reproduction). If so, then it is Caloplaca decipiens.

Alan

Lancashire Lad · #3 (**permalink**) 24-03-2009, 03:06 PM

Thanks Alan.

I hadn't (knowingly) seen either C.flavescens or C.decipiens before taking this photo, so have no experience of the "real thing" to compare with.

I've just bought a copy of Frank Dobson's Lichen's - Illustrated guide to the British & Irish Species, and made my tentative ID on the basis of information in the book.

As (to me) the photo's of both species looked fairly similar, and knowing the variability likely to be found in the actual lichen, as compared with one photograph in a book, I went with "best guess" on the balance of probability, as according to the book, C.flavescens appears to be much more commonplace than C.decipiens.

Regards
Mike.