Lichens


A lichen is a symbiotic partnership between a fungus and an alga or a cyanobacterium. The classification is based on the fungal partner and lichens are often referred to as lichenized fungi. The fungal partner may produce sexual spores and the most commonly seen spore-producing structure is the apothecium, usually circular and somewhat saucer-like. In a number of lichens the production of fungal spores is rare (or even unknown) so that only the vegetative component, or thallus, is present. Lichen thalli show various growth forms and the common types found locally are fruticose, crustose, foliose and squamulose. Fruticose lichens are erect or pendulous and markedly three-dimensional. Examples are Cladia and Usnea. Crustose lichens are markedly two dimensional and firmly attached to the substrate by their entire lower surfaces, making it impossible to see a crustose lichen's undersurface. A crustose lichen looks very much like a thin crust on the substrate and examples on NM are Buellia and Caloplaca. Foliose lichens could be thought of as halfway between crustose and fruticose. Though obviously three dimensional they grow in a more-or-less sheet-like form, but often with a lobed appearance. They are not attached by their entire lower surfaces to their substrates. Indeed, some foliose lichens are just centrally attached to their substrates with the rest loose, so making it possible to see both the lower and upper surfaces very easily. On CNM you will find examples in the family Parmeliaceae. Squamulose lichens grow as aggregations of small scales, from which the sporing structures may be produced. Examples already on NM are the genera Cladonia and Thysanothecium. Fruticose, crustose, foliose and squamulose are useful descriptive terms, not precisely defined taxonomic categories, and there are also other types of growth forms. Lichen expertise: Nature Map currently has no lichen expert on call. Heino, whose main interest is fungi, is able to identify a number of lichens to some degree but will be unable to say anything about most of the local lichens, even when superb photographs are presented. Hence, he is likely to give broad identifications of many photos, rather than have them sit indefinitely in 'Unidentified sightings'.

Further information: http://www.cpbr.gov.au/lichen/index.html


Lichens

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Discussion

Heinol wrote:
25 Jun 2025
The whole thing is a lichen and the 'fuzzy' bits are masses of isidia. Each isidium is a warty or finger-like outgrowth that includes both algal and fungal cells. Isidia can break off, be dispersed and act as vegetative propagules.

Flavoparmelia sp.
Teresa wrote:
22 Jun 2025
Lovely find..

Cladia sp. (genus)
Teresa wrote:
22 Jun 2025
Agree

Flavoparmelia sp.
20 Jun 2025
Yes spores are developed and released in the disc like structures

Usnea sp. (genus)
joscobie wrote:
20 Jun 2025
@MichaelMulvaney , thank you.. it was just gorgeous. I have never seen it before like this...is it flowering??? or fruiting.

Usnea sp. (genus)
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