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Common orange lichen

Xanthoria parietina

Photo by arlanda
Published on Project Noah
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40.5336, -3.68103

Field Notes

Description:

Xanthoria parietina is a foliose, pale- to golden-yellow or orange, grey in shade, lacking isidia or soredia; The fruit bodies called apothecia are usually present, margins concolorous with thallus, disks orange.

Habitat:

Generally very common on nutrient-enriched bark and stonework, often abundant on coastal rocks.
This specimen was found on the bark of a Holm oak tree.

Reference Links:

Xanthoria parietina, Xanthoria parietina (images of British lichens)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (10)
arlanda
Added to Biodiversidad en España/Spain mission
LarsKorb
It's marshland here (Elbmarsch) - so I find that lichen growing nearly on any surface. I think it's because the conditions for the alga to generate is much better due to the air being rich of humidity and minerals (saltwater air conditions)
arlanda
Yes, that is also a funny thing, Lars. At the coast I think it appears on top of rocks, doesnt'it? But here, quite far from the sea, I always find it on tree barks!!
LarsKorb
Common distribution hasn't much to do with beauty, I think, Scott :) @arlanda: Yes, I assumed that actually - I thought that it might be regional differences. While your's is from a refion with definetely more sunlight (which algae don't like that much indeed), mine is from the coastal and more cloudy and humid region.
arlanda
Thanks S Frazier, I agree with you it is very common and still I cannot resist to make pictures of it now and then.
arlanda
Yeah Lars, that intrigues me a little. Yours is much greener. In Alan Silverside's Lichen Pages (http://www.lichens.lastdragon.org/Xantho...) it says that it is grey in shade and somewhere else I read that the yellow color is in part pigments to filter light and in that way protect the algae. Was yours very much in the shade?
Scott Frazier
Now that is a particularly beautiful lichen, even if it is common!
LarsKorb
very nice and colorful bright specimen, arlanda
arlanda
Yes, if you look at lichens in detail, they are amazing nature wonders
achmmad
This is new to me and amazing!

Spotted for Missions

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Biodiversidad en España/Spain

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Photographed
PublishedFebruary 9, 2012

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