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Xanthoria parietina (L.) Beltr. 1858
Foliose, pale- to golden-yellow or orange, grey in shade, lacking isidia or soredia; apothecia usually present, margins concolorous with thallus, disks orange. Throughout Britain, generally very common on nutrient-enriched bark (especially on Elder, Sambucus nigra) and stonework, often abundant on coastal rocks (see, also, X. aureola), further increasing as a result of nitrate/ammonia deposition from atmospheric pollution ( http://www.lichens.lastdragon.org/Xantho... )
Hardwood forests in low-elevation broad valleys; scattered on Populus and other hardwoods in riparian areas in agricultural and populated areas. It is often associated with high level of nitrogen and favored by eutrophication and can be often found near farmland and around livestock. -----X. parietina is a widespread lichen, and has been reported from Australia, Africa, Asia, North America and throughout much of Europe. In eastern North America and Europe, it is found more frequently near coastal locations. The increases in NO3 deposition as a result of industrial and agricultural developments in southern Ontario, Canada in the 20th century are thought to be responsible for the reappearance of this species in the local lichen flora ( wikipedia )( http://www.soortenbank.nl/soorten.php?so... ),
Pelvis bone of a dead sheep colonized by Xanthoria parietina, in a sunny dry scrubland south of the Island of Mallorca. (Double click on the photo to enlarge) Like all lichens are formed by the intimate symbiotic union between an alga and a fungus. The alga or phycobiont brings energy from photosynthesis, while the fungus or mycobiont provides water and minerals. Many millions of years ago learned to live together, helping each other, allowing them to successfully colonize the new land emerging from volcanic eruptions and tectonic plate movements. In fact, lichens are often the first living organisms to colonize the volcanic islands just after the lava cooled ( http://www.mycobank.org/MycoTaxo.aspx?Li... ), ( http://mundani-garden.blogspot.com/2011/... )
yes hans it was really stinging on the grey background !! :), but be sure, this one is only the first, they will come more !!
Great. All around is stone and rock and then this single spot of life. Incredible!
Yes nice site, zapped allready though it, i had today problems , to come on "lichen.com" , and sadly have i not found much good local lichen sites (most of them only useful for the distributon.) but no keys or so. most of the time i come further on the uk-sites !! i think it's a thing of view, but we both can agree "fungi/-like" are complicated !! :) thx
yes, lichens are a bit complicated.
This is a good page to identify some of the more common lichens.
http://www.lichens.lastdragon.org/
It is great for a first identification, I mean for a near ID, but usually is more complicated. Try to find some local page because there is a huge variety and they are very variable and not very much conspicuous. What I am going to tell you, mushrooms can be much more complicated.
i find it difficult with the lichen, everything is just SLIGHTLY different compared to the next species, (bigger cup, lesser leaf-like textures,different colors). but i have seen now enough referrence-images which match your suggestion. Thx. Do you have also some directons/suggestions for my other lichen ? (whit the genus, should i be able to find the species myself !!)
Maybe Xanthoria parietina? I am not completely sure because here at the south they are more intense coloured, more orange, because they have much more sun.