2 DOES THE LICHEN HAVE TINY LEAFY LOBES?

(continued) Fruits and isidia on Lobaria pulmonaria

3 IS THE LICHEN CRUSTY AND GRANULAR? (continued) We are Plantlife Some key features to look
for when identifying lichens
For 30 years, Plantlife has had a single ideal
Degelia atlantica Felt lichen Pannaria conoplea Mealy-rimmed shingle lichen Thelotrema lepadinum Barnacle lichen Mycobilimbia pilularis – to save and celebrate wild flowers, plants
Use a hand lens (preferably x10
magnification) to examine them.
and fungi. They are the life support for all
wet wet our wildlife and their colour and character Colour Of upper (and if visible, the lower)
light up our landscapes. But without our help, surface. The colour of a species can vary
this priceless natural heritage is in danger of – for example, depending on whether it is
being lost. From the open spaces of our nature wet or dry.
reserves to the corridors of government, we
work nationally and internationally to raise Cyphellae and pseudocyphellae Pores
Lobules on Leptogium cyanescens
their profile, celebrate their beauty and or cracks that expose the interior of the
protect their future. lichen, appearing as paler spots or lines
on the surface.

Where wild flowers lead... Fruits Reproductive structures that

Wildlife follows produce spores. They can be round discs,
pimple-like or globular, and their colour
often contrasts with the lichen surface.

Form Scallop-like plates closely attached to the substrate with Form Small lobes with finely scalloped margins forming patches to Form A thin crust with numerous small, distinctive ­­­­­Form Finely granular with distinctive fruits, forming patches up to Hypothallus A dark mat on the lower
longitudinal ridges, concentric “growth” rings and blackish felted 3-5cm, occasionally more. barnacle-like fruits. Patches to about 10cm, but often forms 10-20cm or more. surface, often only visible between lobes
margins (the hypothallus). Forms patches up to 10cm Colour Pale grey to blue-grey with paler margins, extensive mosaics. or at the margins. It may be thin and Soredia on Sticta limbata
Colour Pale grey, sometimes tinged brown; darker when wet.
Colour Green to grey-green, greener when wet. Patron: HRH The Prince of Wales visible only as a dark stain, but when well
sometimes tinged brown and darker when wet. Colour Whitish to pale grey. Soredia/Isidia None.
Soredia/Isidia Numerous knobbly isidia on the surface and margins, Soredia/Isidia Coarse grey soredia on the lobe margins. Soredia/Isidia None. Plantlife developed may be thicker and velvet-like.
Fruit Abundant; buff to pinkish-orange and flat initially but
especially on the raised ridges where the lobe margins meet. Fruit Very rare. Fruit Abundant; like small barnacles (to 2mm). Brewery House
Fruit Very rare; reddish. becoming globular. 36 Milford Street Isidia Tiny projections on the surface
Underside Blackish or greyish velvety mat (hypothallus) not usually Notes Typically found on smooth bark of hazel and rowan, and
Underside Thick blackish or greyish velvety mat (hypothallus) visible Notes Frequently found on or near the base of mature trees, often Salisbury that may be nodular, granular, finger-
visible. mature ash and oak. Can be confused with some Pertusaria
at the edges of upturned lobe margins. Notes Similar to Degelia atlantica but not as closely pressed to the species but look for the barnacle-like fruits. in more shaded conditions. Wiltshire SP1 2AP like, or branched like tiny fragments of
Notes Similar to D. plumbea, but this is usually abundantly fertile substrate with less knobbly isidia and a less developed hypothallus. 01722 342730 coral. They are a means of vegetative
and lacks isidia, and Pannaria conoplea, but this is finer and more Generally, a more delicate looking species. Also similar to P. rubiginosa [email protected] reproduction.
leafy, lacking the solid look of D. atlantica.
www.plantlife.org.uk
which has chestnut-coloured fruiting discs and is rare in SW England
Lobe The rounded “leaf” of a leafy lichen.
Parmeliella triptophylla Black-bordered shingle lichen 3 IS THE LICHEN CRUSTY OR GRANULAR? 4 DOES THE LICHEN LOOK JELLY-LIKE WHEN WET? Hypothallus on Degelia sp.
Plantlife is a charitable company limited by guarantee, Lobules Small “secondary” lobes that
Company No.3166339. Registered in England and develop on the margins or on the surface
Dimerella lutea Orange dimple lichen Leptogium lichenoides Tattered jelly-skin lichen Leptogium cyanescens Blue jelly-skin lichen Wales, Charity No.1059559. Registered in Scotland, of lobes.
Charity No. SCO38951.
dry ©Plantlife, 2nd edition June 2020 Rhizines Root-like structures, as found
ISBN: 978-1-913283-00-1 on the underside of Peltigera species.
Designed by rjpdesign.co.uk These may be straight, forked or
Printed by Blackmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset branched.
This guide is based on text written for Plantlife
Cymru and Plantlife Scotland by Andy Acton and Soredia Floury powder or coarse
Anna Griffith.
granules that often occur along ridges
All photos © Acton/Griffith 2013 except: Nephroma or cracks on the surface, or on the lobe Rhizines on Peltigera sp.
parile © Ray Woods 2013, soredia on Sticta limbata
© Dave Lamacraft 2013, Peltigera horizontalis ©
margins. They may be diffuse or arise in
Jason Hollinger, licensed under Creative Commons discrete structures (termed soralia). Like
and Dimerella lutea © Tim Wilkins 2012. isidia, they are a means of vegetative
reproduction.

Tomentum An even or patchy carpet of

Lichens of temperate rainforest

short hairs (usually brownish or pale) on
the underside as found in Sticta species.
Form Tiny lobules on a wide black margin (hypothallus), often with Form A thin crust, sometimes barely visible, or finely granular, forming Form Dense mass of very thin lobes that appear Form Intricate rosettes of thin overlapping lobes with

in South West England

a dense crust of isidia in the centre. Forms patches to 3-5cm, often patches up to 10cm. minutely frilly at the margins due to abundant isidia. Forms isidia or lobules, or both. To 10cm.
aggregating to form much larger patches which appear as a black ‘stain’ Colour Pale grey-green to grey. patches to 10cm. Colour Pale blue-grey when dry, dark grey to blackish when wet. Tomentum with cyphellae on Sticta sp.
on trunks of trees such as ash. Soredia/Isidia None. Colour Dark brown when wet, grey to grey-brown when dry. Soredia/Isidia Cylindrical or flattened isidia or lobules abundant on
Colour Blackish when wet to brown or grey-brown when dry. Fruit Small (to 2mm), orange with a pale margin, looking like minute Soredia/Isidia Abundant elongated cylindrical isidia on lobe lobe margins and/or surface.
Guide 1 The Lobarion lichens of ash,
The British
Lichen
Soredia/Isidia Minute, thin and finger-like isidia, often branched (best apricot halves (especially when wet). Produced seasonally. margins. Fruit Very rare. Society

visible when dry).

Fruit Rare; small (to 1mm), red-brown.
Notes Mainly grows on mosses or bark in damp shaded situations.
The other common Dimerella species usually has smaller white to
Fruit Rare; small red-brown disc.
Underside Ridged.
Underside Smooth or slightly wrinkled.
Notes When wet, is similar to some other Leptogium species.
hazel, willow and old oak
Underside Black hypothallus extending beyond the margins of the lobes. pinkish fruits and is more common on bark. Notes Found among mosses on trees (especially ash) and If in doubt dry a specimen to see the distinctive colour of dry
Notes Appears as a dark stain on the bark of trees (especially old ash). sometimes on mossy rocks in old woodlands. L. cyanescens.
This guide is for anyone interested in 1 DOES THE LICHEN HAVE WELL DEVELOPED LEAFY LOBES?
identifying some of the more conspicuous Finding and identifying lichens
lichens of temperate rainforest in South West The best areas will often be slopes and river valleys with
mixed deciduous woods containing hazel and old trees Lobaria pulmonaria Tree lungwort Lobaria amplissima Parchment lichen Nephroma laevigatum A kidney lichen Nephroma parile Powdery kidney lichen Sticta fuliginosa s.lat A stinky Sticta Sticta sylvatica A stinky Sticta
England. Different species of lichen often of ash, rowan, willow and oak. Lobarion species occur on
grow together, forming distinct communities. bark, or on mats of mosses and liverworts growing over wet wet
The Lobarion community grows on trees with bark. Many species also grow on mossy boulders and rocks,
mildly acidic or alkaline bark – for example especially in humid situations. The large, leafy lobes of
ash, sycamore, willow, hazel and old oak – Peltigera horizontalis and the black smears of Parmeliella
triptophylla are good indicators of interesting habitat.
and is characterised by large leafy lichens,
especially the four Lobaria species. To identify a lichen first look at its growth form:
c Does it consist of leafy lobes? If so, see Section 1 of
A companion guide (Guide 2) looks at the this guide
Parmelion community of lichens. These grow c Does it consist of small or tiny leafy lobes that look like
roof-shingles? If so, see Section 2 of this guide
on trees with acidic bark. c Is it crusty or powdery? If so, see Section 3 of this guide
c Is it jelly-like when wet? If so, see Section 4 of this guide
What is a lichen? The key features to look for when identifying lichens are
A lichen is a special association between one or two fungi described on the back page. To see these features well, and
species (the ‘mycobiont’) and a green alga or blue-green wet dry dry wet wet
to fully appreciate the beauty of lichens, you will need to use
alga (the ‘phycobiont’). The mycobiont forms the main body a magnifier or a hand lens of x10-15 magnification.
of the lichen, providing an outer surface that protects the Form Loosely attached lobes with a distinctive network of ridges Form Closely pressed to the substrate, smooth or wrinkled lobes with Form Thin, papery lobes with distinctive fruits on the underside Form Leafy lobes. Grows to around 8cm. Form Rounded lobes with downturned margins; lobes largely Form Irregularly branched lobes usually forming patches up
phycobiont underneath which manufactures food. Each Please note that scientific names should always be used giving a lung-like appearance. Grows to 30cm or more. wavy margins; usually with dark brown rounded, shrubby growths of upturned lobe tips. Often has tiny flattened lobules on lobe Colour Chocolate brown to reddish-brown. undivided but may be notched or irregular. Usually to 5cm in size to 5cm, occasionally to 10cm or more.
lichen has its own distinct species of fungus, but all lichens when recording. Colour Green when wet, brownish-green when dry. (known as cephalodia) on the surface. Margins of young lobes have margins. Grows to around 8cm, sometimes more. Soredia/Isidia Grey to brownish granular soredia along the margins but occasionally to 10cm or more. Colour Grey or brown to blackish-brown when wet, dark grey
share a small number of phycobiont species; in most cases Soredia/Isidia Often has small peg-like isidia and soredia on the a fine frosting when dry. Grows to 30cm or more. Colour Brown-grey to brown when wet, often red-brown when dry. and occasionally on the lobes. Colour Blackish-brown when wet, dark grey-brown when dry. to grey-brown when dry.
this is a green alga but the majority of species in this guide margins and ridges. Colour Pale grey (when dry) to pale green-grey (when wet), often with Soredia/Isidia None. Fruit Very rare. Soredia/Isidia Tiny coral-like isidia visible as dark granular patches Soredia/Isidia Tiny coral-like isidia visible as dark granular
partner with a blue-green alga. Further information Fruit Rare; a red-brown disc. brown tips. Fruit Frequent; an orange-brown disc on the underside of the Underside Smooth or wrinkled and tan-coloured, like tan leather, on the surface of the lobes. patches on the surface of the lobes.
Books Underside A patchy tomentum with convex naked areas Soredia/Isidia None. upturned lobe tip. and lacking other features e.g. rhizines or cyphellae. Fruit Scarce; red-brown, often with pale hairs on margins. Fruit Not recorded in the UK.
Lichens: An Illustrated Guide to the British and Irish corresponding to depressions between the ridges on the Fruit Scarce, a red-brown disc with a pale margin. Underside Smooth or wrinkled and tan-coloured, like tan leather, Notes Similar to Peltigera collina but that species has rhizines, and to Underside Pale or brown tomentum with paler spots (cyphellae). Underside Pale or brown tomentum with paler spots
What is temperate rainforest? Species, Frank Dobson, 7th Edition (2018), Richmond upper surface. Underside An even tomentum. and lacking other features e.g. rhizines or cyphellae. Sticta limbata but that species has cyphellae. Notes Smells fishy when wet (rub with a finger and smell). (cyphellae).
Temperate rainforest is a type of usually ancient natural or Publishing Co Ltd. Notes Protected from collection for selling under Schedule 8 of the Notes Similar to L. virens when wet/green but that species never has Notes The fruiting bodies are not always present or obvious, Similar to S. sylvatica. Sticta fuliginosa has recently been split into Notes Smells fishy when wet (rub with a finger and smell).
semi-natural, broad-leaved woodland found in western Lichens, Oliver Gilbert (2000), Collins New Naturalist series, Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). cephalodia. Flavoparmelia caperata is brighter yellow-green, but has especially as they are on the underside of the lobes. three separate species, all of which have subtle differences and When poorly developed it is difficult to distinguish from some
Britain and Ireland where the climate is mild and wet due to Harper Collins. soralia and never has cephalodia. need microscopic confirmation. irregularly notched forms of S. fuliginosa.
the influence of the Gulf Stream. Although often dominated A Conservation Evaluation of British Lichens and
by, and thought of as, oak woods, they include a mix of Lichenicolous Fungi, Woods & Coppins (2012), JNCC Lobaria scrobiculata Lob scrob Lobaria virens Green satin lichen Peltigera horizontalis A dog lichen Peltigera collina Floury dog-lichen Sticta limbata Floury Sticta 2 DOES THE LICHEN HAVE TINY LEAFY LOBES?
other tree species - for example, birch, alder, ash and hazel. http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-6197
In fact, upland ash woods and Atlantic hazel woods are This is the current Red List for lichens in Great Britain. Normandina pulchella Elf ears
some of the most important temperate rainforest habitats.
wet wet
Websites wet
www.britishlichensociety.org.uk The British Lichen
Why are South West England’s Society (BLS) website provides a wide range of information
temperate rainforests important for about all aspects of lichens and lichenology.
lichens?
Temperate rainforests have a long link to the past, with www.nbnatlas.org The NBN Atlas hosts an up-to-date
many sites having supported woodland for thousands of database of British lichen distribution.
years. They are less susceptible to large-scale management
changes - for example, woodland clearance or intensive
www.fungi.myspecies.info, www.dorsetnature.co.uk/
coppice management, because of the difficult terrain on
which they grow - and they have escaped the worst impacts Dorset-lichen.html and www.uklichens.co.uk are
of air pollution that have had a severe impact on lichens in good websites for photographs and information on
particular since the industrial revolution. These factors, lichen species.
combined with the damp, mild Atlantic climate, have
created these special habitats in which these important wet dry dry wet
species survive. Because of this, some of these are now used
as indicators of high-quality wildlife habitats. Form Rounded, sometimes notched or irregular lobes with downturned Form Tiny – to 0.5cm – rounded ear-like lobes with a
Form Loosely attached irregular lobes with ridges. Grows to 10cm. Form Smooth or wrinkled wavy lobes closely pressed to the substrate. Form Large smooth lobes forming large patches which can be up to Form Lobes with raised wavy/frilly margins and soredia. Grows to
Colour Yellowish-grey (dry) or blue-grey (wet). Grows to 30cm or more. 40cm or more. around 15cm. floury margins forming patches to 3cm, sometimes more. distinctive pale rim.
Many of these lichens are not found in other parts of Britain Colour Pale grey to pale grey-brown, darker when wet. Colour Pale blue-grey to pale green-grey; greener when wet.
Soredia/Isidia Grey to blue-grey soredia; spreading along the ridges Colour Green when wet, brownish-green when dry. Colour Brown to grey-brown when wet, grey when dry. Colour Grey, blue-grey to grey-brown when dry, grey when wet.
and Europe, and some are globally rare. A number of Soredia/Isidia Diffuse, floury, pale-grey soredia along margins and Soredia/Isidia Greyish to greenish soredia, mainly on the
and lobe margins. Soredia/Isidia None. Soredia/Isidia None. Soredia/Isidia Coarse, pale-grey to blue-grey soredia on the wavy
species are considered of “principal importance for the spreading on to surface. margins and sometimes spreading to cover lobes.
Fruit Rare; a red-brown disc with a thick pale margin. Fruit Frequent; an orange disc with a thick green margin. Fruit Frequent; chestnut brown, rounded, held up parallel to the lobe lobe margins.
conservation of biodiversity in England” under Section 41 of Fruit Very rare. Fruit Only very rarely recorded in the UK.
Underside A patchy tomentum with convex naked areas Underside An even tomentum. surface, ie horizontally. Fruit Rare; dark brown to blackish.
the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006); Underside Pale or brown tomentum with paler spots (cyphellae). Notes May be scattered or clustered; usually grows on mosses,
corresponding to depressions between the ridges on the upper surface. Notes Similar to L. amplissima (see above) and Flavoparmelia Underside White with a network of dark veins and brown rhizines that Underside Pale with darker veins and tufts of rhizines.
these are indicated in the guide by “S41”. Further details of Notes When poorly developed could be confused with Nephroma
caperata, which is much commoner, a paler apple green colour and look like twisted and frayed rope ends. Notes This is the only Peltigera species with marginal soralia. It is liverworts or other lichens.
species conservation status can be found in the GB Red List parile which has a smooth underside with no pale spots.
only rarely fertile. Notes Similar to other Peltigera species but the rounded fruits and similar to Nephroma parile (which has a smooth or wrinkled underside
(see books section).
underside are distinctive. with no rhizines).