Graphis alboscripta

10 Feb 2019 - White Script Lichen and other rare lichens of ancient hazelwoods

Photos by Jan Hamilton and Carl Farmer.  Mouse over photos to see credits and other details. 

White Script Lichen (Graphis alboscripta), known only from a few Scottish west coast hazelwoods.
 

Common Script Lichen (Graphis scripta) on the left and Pyrenula occidentalis on the right.  These are crustose lichens of the smooth bark found on young hazel stems before they become overgrown with mosses and liverworts.
 

Pyrenula laevigata, another lichen of smooth young hazel stems, its edges marked by rows of small black dots.
 

Octopus Suckers (Collema fasciculare), a jelly lichen that swells up when wet, as here.
 

Frilly-fruited Jelly Lichen (Leptogium burgessii), one of the commonest and most easily-recognised jelly lichens.
 

Leptogium hibernicum, a rare oceanic jelly lichen.
 

Another rare jelly lichen, Leptogium coralloideum.
 

Fuscopannaria sampaiana.  Smells of Juicy Fruit chewing gum.
 

Parmeliella triptophylla.  The orange blobs are fruitbodies, which are unusual in this species.
 

Another species that rarely fruits is Desperate Dan (Parmotrema crinitum) which was abundant on hazel in the wood, and here has a fruit surrounded by the stubble which gives the lichen its English name.
 

Norwegian Specklebelly (Pseudocyphellaira norvegica)
 

Rough Dog Lichen (Peltigera praetextata)
 

Nephroma laevigatum

Lobaria amplissima.  This lichen contains both a green alga (in the smooth green areas) and a cyanobacterium (in the bushy brown growths).
 

Among the few fungi seen were Winter Polypore (Polyporus brumalis) on a partly buried hazel stick...
 

...and Leafy Brain Fungus (Tremella foliacea) on old standing hazel bark.
 

Finally, LNHG's Species of the Month, Teddy-bear Moss (Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus), was abundant on the woodland floor.