Crustose sp. lichen

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Photo by Neil Ross

Published on Project Noah

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Field Notes

Description:

Fungus or lichen? At first I would have said this is a crustose variety of lichen (paint-like and flat), but now I'm not so sure. Each tiny orange blob appears to have pores, and on the surface of the bark beneath each blob is a smooth green substance that looks like resin. With age, the orange coloured blobs becomes darker to the point of turning black, and the base green darkens too. Darker growths are the same species because the orange blobs are still visible, particularly around the perimeter. These growths were not visible on any other species of tree. Any suggestions?

Habitat:

Found along the lake's edge of the Enoggera Reservoir, on the Araucaria Track. Growing on Coachwood (Ceratopetalum apetalum), a native hardwood. Well-shaded area with only filtered light. This section of the reserve was reasonably damp.

Notes:

Parmotrema Lichen growing alongside this spotting on the same trees - http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/359186142 Here's a link which explains the various types of lichens, particularly their morphology and structure - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen Potential species - Caloplaca sp. (Firedot lichen) - Pyrenula macrospora

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (12)

Neil Ross

Thanks, Machi. I'll check that group out. I know so little about lichens, so any help is good help. I appreciate your suggestions too.

Machi

Also, if you really want answers from lichen experts, check out Lichens Connecting People; it is a Facebook group where I have gotten many IDs and there are some leading lichenologists in that group.

Machi

Hi Neil! I would hazard a guess at Trypethelium or maybe Bathelium. The orange blobs are stroma with multiple perithecia on each. Photos 2 & 4 show a different species, perhaps Nigrovothelium.

Neil Ross

Please don't go to any trouble for this, Brian. I just thought something may jump out and be obvious that I may have missed. I have seen this on other coachwood trees around the reservoir, but not on any other species. There is a facebook group I've recently joined (they specialise in Aus and NZ fungus ID), so I might also run it by them.

Brian38

Wow Neil! This is absolutely beautiful, unique and possibly rare. Great job on documentation as usual! Several things have my curiosity. You mentioned that the growths were not visible on any other species of tree. But was it on more than one Coachwood tree? Apothecia that I'm familiar with is more uniform than this. These golden yellow growths are very irregular globs. I did a google search for polished Ceratopetalum apetalum to see what the wood looks like and the color matches exactly to these globs. It would be interesting to have this growth lab tested. I'm just wandering if there is something going on that we just can't see. I'll keep looking.

Mark Ridgway

Pretty popular in your area too http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Pallidogramme

Mark Ridgway

I think it's a Pallidogramme species. The orange stuff is probably part of the fungal phase. But I'm going from that nice cracked base. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=PALLIDOGRAMME+australia&client=ubuntu-browser&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=w1-EU5fEMouWkwX6nYHQDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1242&bih=575#imgdii=_ http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/lichenchecklist_p_r.html

Mark Ridgway

Yes I think lichen... searching now.

Neil Ross

Thanks, Mark. I don't know what species of tree it is, but I'm sure I'll recognise it if I see the same species. I've checked out a million images, to no avail. Do you think this is a lichen?

Mark Ridgway

What a cracker of a mysterious find. Love it. Tree species might be useful.

Neil Ross

Thanks, Leanne. Another frustrating find :-/

LeanneGardner

Interesting find Neil.