Lichen ID please

[INHT]

I saw this lichen growing amongst xanthoria on coastal grassland at Ardnave, Isle of Islay. I'm new to lichen and hadn't seen it before. It has quite a lot of cilia. I think the yellow one is xanthoria parieatina. Am I right?

[poschiavanus]

Looks like one of the common Physcia to me, i.e., tenella or adscendens (must say I'd hoped for better given the location).

That in combination with the Xanthoria, suggests a nitrophilous environment. Was this on the farm, or down towards Loch Gruinart?

There should be plenty of great places for lichens on Islay - sheltered atlantic hazel woods, the seashore, walls, churchyards, the woods at Bridgend - but the more intensively farmed areas where grassland is fertilised might be a bit disappointing.

[INHT]

Thanks for the ID. I'm new to lichen so, although it might not be rare, I thought this was great!
It was right near the coast. As far as I know there is no grazing or fertilising on that bit.
Thanks again.

[JennyS]

That photo looks very familiar!

As I identified elsewhere the Physcia is P. adscendens with hood shaped lobe tips rather than the sorediate lobe tips of P. tenella.
You're correct with x. parietina.

As far as I know there is no grazing or fertilising on that bit.

Plenty of seagulls, and their droppings are nutrient-rich

[poschiavanus]

Very good point Jenny. Don't forget that there are plenty of Geese on Islay too!

[diggleken]

Nice to see Islay Nat hist on board WAB.
If you look at the plaque there you should see my name as one of the original funders to set it up when it moved from across the way from the old house, dont know when that was - well over 20 years ago!
Cheers
Ken

[AlanS]

Interesting to see these lichen photographs from Islay (both here and on another forum) so soon after being there myself with the British Lichen Society last month. We met up with one or two local enthusiasts - hopefully you ((INHT) were one?

The weather was dreadful when we were there - blazing sunshine almost every single day! A lot of my photographs were pretty poor. Fortunately, on the last day, it was cloudy, with patchy rain, and my photography improved dramatically. Hopefully I shall return sometime, in better weather!

BTW, I think I agree with Jenny. The lobes of the Physcia are inflated generally, as seems to happen with coastal thalli, and I cannot make out any specifically hooded lobe tips. However, the jizz is that of P. adscendens and I expect it is that, though I do wonder slightly about P. tenella subsp. marina as a possibility.

Alan