A Fruticose Lichen For ID Help Please

[Lancashire Lad]

Found today on loose stone debris at foot of an old dry stone wall.



Could this be Stereocaulon dactylophyllum?

I would be grateful for confirmation/other.

Regards
Mike.

[JennyS]

Hi Mike - how about Stereocaulon evolutum?

It looks very like one of mine in the thread below that AlanS IDed:
Four foliose and a fruticose

[Lancashire Lad]

You may well be right JennyS, I can't tell the difference between the two.

Hopefully, AlanS may see the post and enlighten us further.

Regards
Mike.

[JennyS]

Unfortunately he said in another post he was going to be missing for a while - looks like we're going to be floundering!

[AlanS]

Having a last look at the forums before I go missing.

Stereocaulon is tricky without a very close view. I keep taking photographs of them and they never quite show the detail I want.

The same applies here I am afraid, but I think I can rule out S. dactylophyllum as it doesn't seem to have the "fingers".

On balance I would say this is S. vesuvianum.

N.B. On dry stone walls in my area, S. vesuvianum is the common species, but S. dactylophyllum hides amongst it, often in slightly more sheltered niches.

Alan

[Lancashire Lad]

Thanks Alan,

Might be best if I just put this down as Stereocaulon sp.

Regards
Mike.