Are These Lichens or Fungi?
Nov 16, 2018 08:32:50 #
These were growing on a small branch that fell out of an oak tree. I have always called them lichens, but a friend said he has never seen lichens like this, which makes me wonder if they are fungi. I would like to hear your opinions.
Thanks,
Bill
Thanks,
Bill
Nov 16, 2018 08:42:07 #
Nice shot. It is a lichen and the yellow surfaces are the fruiting bodies producing spores.
Nov 16, 2018 08:59:39 #
pquiggle wrote:
Nice shot. It is a lichen and the yellow surfaces are the fruiting bodies producing spores.
yes,i see them all the time.good shot!
Nov 16, 2018 09:14:47 #
FYI. Lichens are a fungi, an algae, and a bacteria living in a symbiotic relationship. British Soldiers one of the more common. In the Arctic there are some estimated to be hundreds of years old.
Nov 16, 2018 11:47:45 #
ottercreek
Loc: Southwest Ohio
The gray thallus just below is also a lichenized fungus. While a lichen consists of a fungus and an alga or (rarely) a bacterium, they are classified as a fungus, and referred to as a lichenized fungus. Fascinating organisms and many of them consist of chemical species separated on the basis of their unique compounds. The spore producing structure, in this case an ascocarp, produces fungal spores which then must meet up with the alga species before it can form a new lichen structure. Great subjects to photograph and you did a fine job!
Nov 16, 2018 11:49:50 #
Nov 16, 2018 12:26:15 #
Nice shot of this. I think it must be the foliose lichen Zanthoria sp. It seems to be a spiny one which I haven't seen before. Around here Zanthoria Parietina is the one that is common, I would love to see that spiny one.
Nov 16, 2018 13:15:25 #
ottercreek
Loc: Southwest Ohio
EnglishBrenda wrote:
Nice shot of this. I think it must be the foliose lichen Zanthoria sp. It seems to be a spiny one which I haven't seen before. Around here Zanthoria Parietina is the one that is common, I would love to see that spiny one.
I suspect that this is actually a fruticose lichen, Ramalina, in the americana species group.
Nov 16, 2018 13:31:56 #
ottercreek wrote:
I suspect that this is actually a fruticose lichen, Ramalina, in the americana species group.
Oh yes, Ottercreek, thanks, I have just looked it up. No wonder I couldn't find it under Zanthoria. It is certainly a stunning species.
Nov 16, 2018 13:49:34 #
ottercreek
Loc: Southwest Ohio
EnglishBrenda wrote:
Oh yes, Ottercreek, thanks, I have just looked it up. No wonder I couldn't find it under Zanthoria. It is certainly a stunning species.
No problem! Having taught and published in the fields of mosses, liverworts and lichens but now retired for 18 years I, too, am a bit rusty!!
Nov 17, 2018 08:34:53 #
wjones8637 wrote:
These were growing on a small branch that fell out of an oak tree. I have always called them lichens, but a friend said he has never seen lichens like this, which makes me wonder if they are fungi. I would like to hear your opinions.
Thanks,
Bill
Thanks,
Bill
Nov 17, 2018 23:41:49 #
Mark Sturtevant wrote:
Interesting stuff! I like symbiotic relationships.
I, too, like symbiotic relationships. Unfortunately, most of mine were only an hour or two long.
Bill
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