Here’s a selection of lichens which I found on some rowan tree trunks a couple of weeks ago, in some woodland quite near Glenrothes, in Fife.
I’m certainly no expert on the identification of lichens, I’ve attempted to identify four of the lichens in the first image, down to the genus, but if anyone knows differently, please let me know!! 🙂
The first photo below, shows possibly four crustose lichens. I haven’t tried to identify the lichens in the other photos, but the featured image is probably the genus Xanthoria.
Top Left – possibly the genus “Fuscidea”
Middle Top – possibly the genus “Caloplaca”
Middle Bottom – possibly another species of the genus “Caloplaca”
Bottom Right – probably a “Script Lichen”
Eye For A Pic 
Just beautiful!!
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Thank you Roda 🙂 I often think that most people tend to overlook lichens, they are a fascinating and very beautiful and varied group of plants.
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I so agree…granted, you are taking to the person that likes mushrooms and moss and bumble bees on flowers!
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I can see that we are very similar in that respect, it’s good to hear of a fellow nature lover who pays attention to those wee things around us 🙂
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It is all about the little things in life! I am heading out to spend the weekend at the Chicago botanical gardens. It is one of my favorite places. Lots of pictures coming next week!
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Definitely 🙂 And that sounds like a wonderful place, I’ll look forward to seeing some wonderful macro style photos next week! I hope you have some great weather this weekend 🙂
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The question is what camera to take and how many lenses. It’s going to be 80° and sunny!
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Alas, I don’t have that problem Roda, I’ve just got the one main camera and lens 🙂
Glad to hear you are going to be getting good weather, and pleasantly warm, but not too hot 🙂 Mind you, for us, that would be classed as a very hot day! Lol! 🙂
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That is hot! I like 70!!
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Lol!!! You would love the Scottish climate then 🙂
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I sure would! I loved London!
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I’ve not been down to London, for a very long time……………it’s no doubt changed a fair bit since I was at college there in the mid 80’s!
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They look like little cells under a microscope! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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I hadn’t thought of them like that Nel, but you’re right, they do loook a bit like that 🙂
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This is a fascinating post! I am fascinated by lichens and was told it is a good indicator of air quality.
Have you seen this ap
https://www.ceh.ac.uk/news-and-media/blogs/apping-and-assessing-air-pollution-using-lichens We have lichens on our olive trees and other bushes and I am convinced they are sapping the life out of the host plants because they are dying.
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Thank you Ms piglet 🙂 You are right that lichens can be used to judge air quality, they are also good for telling how much nitrogen is in the air. I’m not sure how it is in Portugal, but back here in the UK, you may have noticed how you get very few lichens near major roads, or in the middle of cities. I wouldn’t worry about the lichens killing off your olive trees and bushes, they only need a very little in the way of nutrients from their hosts, most of their food/energy comes via the algae component that makes up half the lichen, which use photosynthesis (the other half of a lichen is the fungus). On that particular point about the make up of lichens, it was recently discovered that most lichens also have a second fungus in them, in the form of yeast!
Thanks for the link to the phone app (unfortunately of no use to me, I haven’t entered the smart phone age yet! Lol!), but I’m sure some others will definitely find it very useful 🙂
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I have taken some fascinating photos of lichens. Will now have to dig them out and study further. Thank you 🙂
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You’re most welcome 🙂 I’m glad to have inspired you to look into your lichens a wee bit more 🙂
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