Two lichens for ID please

[INHT]

I've no idea about the first one but wondered about Porpidia tuberculosa for the second. Any ideas?

[AlanS]

I am afraid that both images are very small and show little detail.

I feel reasonably sure that the second image is NOT Porpidia tuberculosa. I see no evidence of the soralia that characterise this species in the absence of apothecia. I suspect that the image is much too blue (easily happens when a lichen is taken in shade on a sunny day, as seems to be the case here) but even if the lichen was more a cream colour, I think it best not to make any guess.

I was not going to name the first photograph either, but I wonder if this photograph too has lost yellow and is too blue? If the original lichen was distinctly yellow, then possibly this is Rhizocarpon geographicum?

Crustose lichens are rarely easy, and often very difficult, and I am afraid that identification from photographs is very often not possible.

Alan

[INHT]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your full replies on this and other forum. Yes, I met you at Ballygrant when you were over with the BLS and you told me about your website which in fact I use all the time to identify lichens. I really enjoyed being out with the BLS members and learnt such a lot - I was brand new to lichens then.

These forums are wonderful. I'm so grateful for a link with other enthusiasts because there's no lichen experts or even enthusiasts (as far as I know) on Islay. I'd uploaded the wrong size photos for these species so haven ow uploaded larger versions. It was a sunny day when I took the pictures. The second one was white and the first one was a pale green, not bright like I've seen Rhizocarpon geographicum before.

Thanks again,

Becky