Random un-IDed lichens

JennyS · #1 (**permalink**) 28-03-2009, 11:59 PM

I'm trawling through the 'un-identified' folders again - its a rather random selection of unsure and clue-lesses that I'd be glad of help with ....

1. On quartz in coastal rock - Rhizocarpon richardii?

2. On fallen Holly

3. On upland rock - Caloplaca citrina query centre stage......

4. On harbour wall above HWM

5. On wall in Dublin city centre - Caloplaca decipiens?

6.

Gone brain-dead on these two, first was on a church wall, lower one on coastal rock

AlanS · #2 (**permalink**) 02-04-2009, 02:14 AM

Hi Jenny

Once again, not an easy set, and work with the microscope needed.

1. I am sure you are right, but I have photographs of my own of this that I am quite proud of, but which will not go up on my site until I have had a Rhizocarpon session and checked their spores. So if I won't be 100% about my own IDs until I have done the work, I have to take the same view here. Rhizocarpon is not an easy genus.

2. Once again, microscope work essential. An Opegrapha I assume, but next step is to look at the spore septation.

3. Step 1 - test with KOH to make sure it is not Candelariella vitellina. In this case, I supect that step 2 will not then be needed.

4. Wet ...

5. Yes, I am sure you are right on this - Caloplaca decipiens, complete with soredia.

6. a) - might be Caloplaca citrina, or one of its close allies, but it doesn't look very well.
b) - I don't have a clue.

So sorry not to be more helpful.

Now I have these unidentified crusts from the vicinity of an old bartya mine near me ...

Alan

JennyS · #3 (**permalink**) 02-04-2009, 11:07 PM

Hello again Alan,

3. Went back and tested - step 2 was un-necessary
4.

5. Thank you for the confirmation
6a. Yes pretty rough-looking.... into the bin!
6b. Another one for the bin....

1 and 2: Unfortunately I haven't got access to a microscope and have only got K and C (and that's only if I've got them with me when I spot something) so I'm starting to question the validity of a lot of my identifications. I'm rather losing faith in my ability of getting much further on my own.
Hopefully the Burren week will help but I'll probably have to clone myself to have one me there concentrating on lichen and another me heading very thankfully back into botanising.....