Under the hand lens
First ever book on ‘Lichens of Ireland’
A high quality A5 sized book with flexible water proof cover describes 258 lichens found in Ireland including species in Atlantic woodlands (Killarney & Gengariff) and hazel woods, the Burren’s open limestone and Rocky seashores. All descriptions are semi scientific (accurate but using accessible language) with high quality photographs (all photographed in Ireland over the last 3 years) and up-to-date vice-county distribution maps. read more
History of Irish Lichenology
Frenchman H. A. Weddell was the first to recognize lichen seashore zonation in 1875 when he defined three zones. Matilda Knowles (National Museum of Ireland) further defined this zonation in 1913 by defining zone colours read more
Extinction looms for Leptogium cochleatum
Leptogium cochleatum is a rare Irish lichen [profile] found on the bark of mature hazel and ash trees. Since the year 2000 it has only been recorded at one site in Co. Galway, two sites in Co. Clare and one site in Co. Kerry. Its decline is due directly to habitat destruction and the non-replacement of mature trees. Lichens need habitat continuity due principally to their slow metabolism and lengthy life cycle. This vulnerable beautiful wavy gelatinous foliose lichen empasises the need for an Irish Lichen Red Data book. [click photo].
Apothecia Aid Identification
New to lichen identification? Then this image will interest you. It’s a close up of an apothecium, a lichen’s sexual reproductive structure. The apothecia are an important aid to lichen identification. Most have a rim; sometimes the rim is the same colour as the thallus, sometimes not; the area inside the rim is the disc; this can be flat, convex or concave, it may have crystals on it or not, and so on. Combined with other anatomical lichen parts it can lead to a secure identification. Read more here…..
Lichens and Lead
Lead and other metals, particularly iron and copper, are toxic to many lichens. Some lichens will grow on stone bathed by lead contaminated water, but almost never directly on lead itself. The photograph here shows two lichen species doing their utmost not to grow on the lead lettering on this gravestone. Caloplaca flavescens (orange) normally grows in a circular manner, but here is working its way between the 9 and 0 to take on the symbolic shape of a hour-glass. Click on the photograph to enlarge.
Have you seen Cladonia botrytes?
Cladonia botrytes has never been found in Ireland. It’s likely it is here. However, its small size (about 5 mm high), its growth among other Cladonia species and its specific requirements have probably all contributed to its elusiveness. All Scottish specimens have been found on coniferous tree trunks exposed to direct sunlight for a short time of the day. Critically the exposed cut wood has not been chemically treated. You can report a sighting to info [at] lichens.ie (replace [at] with @).