Sunburst Lichen?

[sunnydale]

Hi all,

This was a blaze of colour all over the Pembrokeshire cliffs. I'm presuming it's Sunburst Lichen but just wanted confirmation if poss....




Thanks,

Tracey

[AlanS]

Hello Tracey,

The answer is yes, probably.

It depends on what you mean by 'Sunburst Lichen'.

In fact 'Sunburst Lichen' is a general name used in the USA for the genus Xanthoria, but not adopted over here, so far as I am aware. A few of our lichens genuinely have common names here, and there are some made-up alternatives for Xanthoria, but there is no general consensus.

Except that, I have to admit it, there is confusion over the Latin name too in this case.

Your lichen is Xanthoria ectaneoides,
see Xanthoria ectaneoides (images of British lichens)

However, the current definitive reference book for British lichens (Smith et al., 'The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland') has adopted the name Xanthoria aureola for this species, despite this name being widely, even if wrongly, applied to another species. Exactly the sort of confusion that Latin names are supposed to avoid! (I might actually get something done about this - the mechanism to do so exists.)

So maybe 'Sunburst Lichen' is as good as anything just now, and not a bad name!

Anyhow, Xanthoria ectaneoides is a locally common species on coastal rocks, but it is often difficult to separate from Xanthoria parietina, which is often abundant in the same habitat and also common inland. Probably you had both on your Pembrokeshire cliffs.

Alan
(now looking around for any other simple question that I can make unnecessarily complicated)

[sunnydale]

Thanks Alan for your reply and taking the trouble to add some extra info Waffle is good in my book!

I only came across the name 'Sunburst Lichen' in the RSPB's book 'Wildlife of Britain' - the definitive visual guide.
In there, it's listed as xanthoria parietina (Teloaschisaceae)....whatever that means!

I just thought it was beautiful and reckon it deserves the name 'Sunburst'

Tracey