Martin Mere Lichen

[black]

Can anyone help me identify these two lichen species found at Martin Mere?

[Deer Stalker]

Hi black
The green one might be Flavoparmelia caperata & the more bluey one might be Parmelia sulcata.

[Fungalpunk]

The light one could be Parmelia saxatalis.

Good to see someone else attempting the lichen lunatic trail. Difficult stuff but such fascinating things. I can't remeber what they are called but there are about 6 fold out laminated guides that are good stuff. Field Study guides I think.

[Deer Stalker]

Originally Posted by Fungalpunk

The light one could be Parmelia saxatalis.

Good to see someone else attempting the lichen lunatic trail. Difficult stuff but such fascinating things. I can't remeber what they are called but there are about 6 fold out laminated guides that are good stuff. Field Study guides I think.

Thats the other one it could be .

Learning Lichens is a nightmare.

[black]

Thanks for the suggestions. Found a good Website of lichen photographs taken in Scotland by Alan Silverside. There are still a number of species that look all too similar for me.

[AlanS]

Originally Posted by black

Thanks for the suggestions. Found a good Website of lichen photographs taken in Scotland by Alan Silverside. There are still a number of species that look all too similar for me.

LOL, I have just found this thread. Thanks for the name check. In view of recent discussion you might want to know that I have added true Peltigera canina and also P. rufescens to the site, though the latter is not as good as your photograph in the Gallery here.

Anyhow, as for these Martin Mere lichens ...

The grey one is indeed Parmelia sulcata. The smooth surface broken up by the psudocyphellae (tiny white streaks) is characteristic. As Fungalpunk has suggested, P. saxatilis is similar, but apart from it much more often growing on rocks rather than trees, the centre of the thallus in P. saxatilis is covered with minute, blackish, cylindrical projections (isidia).

The green lichen is the green form of Melanelia fuliginosa ssp. glabratula (= Parmelia glabratula). Notice that the younger parts of the thallus are distinctly glossy, while the older parts are covered by minute, coral-like isidia, which break away leaving white scars.

British books generally describe it as brown, and indeed it is more commonly a khaki colour to glossy brown, but this green form is not that rare. There is a very good photograph of this bright green version in 'Wirth' - the 2 volume German book that becomes an essential purchase once the lichen obsession sets in badly.

Alan Silverside

[Deer Stalker]

Thanks for the ID hints Alan.