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Marin County  |  Plant Groups

Introduction to Marin Lichens  (this page is still being developed)

This picture list introduces some prominent Marin lichens.  Even if your lichen isn’t on this list, you should be able to find a similar lichen to help you categorize what you’re looking at.  Much of this material is taken, with permission, from Bob Stewart’s excellent but out-of-print books on Marin Lichens.  Lichen parts are named with generally recognizable words, with botanic terms in parenthesis.  (Note to botanists and lichenologists)

The pictures below are organized by the general impression you get as you first notice a lichen.  Use the key below to quickly link to lichen pictures that match what you’re looking at:

Stringy Lichens

·       Flat bodies

·       Cylindrical, stretchy bodies

Leafy Lichens

·       Gray-green color

·       Yellow-green color

·       Brown color

Not leafy; smooth with hills and valleys

Stick-like Lichens

Flat Lichens

·       On rocks

·       On trees

Stringy lichens with flat bodies

     Hints: these lichens can look like a ball of string, or hang down many feet from a branch.

Lace Lichen

Ramalina menziesii

 

Fruticose

· Hangs from trees like Spanish Moss

· Yellow-green color.

· Lace-like structure

· Body (thallus) is flat, not round.

Ramalina menziesii_Lace Lichen-2

Lace is flat, not round.

Ramalina menziesii_Lace Lichen

Look for lace structure.

Ramalina menziesii_Lace Lichen_Taylor Park_2014-01-14__BHS

Looks like Spanish Moss.

Stringy lichens with cylindrical, stretchy bodies

     Hints: these lichens can look like a ball of string, or hang down many feet from a branch.

Red Beard Lichen

Usnea rubicunda.

 

 

Fruticose

· Found on wood - trees, bushes, or fence posts.

· Orange color

· Body (thallus) is cylindrical

· Central cord inside the cylindrical body.

· If you pull gently on the central cord, it springs like a bungee cord.

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Red Beard Lichen_Usnea rubicunda__SGM 

Body is round, as opposed to the flat lace lichen.

Usnea rubicunda_Red Beard Lichenjpg

Green lichen is Old Man’s Beard.  Other is Red Beard.

Old Man’s Beard Lichen

Usnea cornuta

 

 

Fruticose

· Found on wood - trees, bushes, or fence posts.

· Yellow-green color

· Body (thallus) is cylindrical

· Central cord inside the cylindrical body.

· If you pull gently on the central cord, it springs like a bungee cord.

Usnea cornuta-fragilis complex_Old Mans Beard

Notice the central cord inside the round body.

Usnea cornuta_Old Mans Beard-2

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Bushy Beard Lichen

Usnea intermedia

 

 

Fruticose

· Found on wood - trees, bushes, or fence posts.

· Yellow-green color

· Body (thallus) is cylindrical

· Central cord inside the cylindrical body.

· This species has ¼” fruit cups.

Usnea arizonica_Arizona Beard Lichen

Usnea arizonica_Arizona Beard Lichen_Lake Laguitas_2014-02-14__BHS

Usnea arizonica_Arizona Beard Lichen_Lake Laguitas_2014-02-14__BHS-2

Gray-green leafy lichens

     Hints: Learn to distinguish gray-green from yellow-green leafy lichens.  Look at color underneath.  Look for white spots, and for curling edges.

Parmotrema Lichen

Parmotrema spp.

 

Foliose

· Common

· Found on trees, bushes and rocks.

· Short hairs (Cilia) on edge of leafy surfaces may be too small to see.

· Grey or green upper surface

· No white structures on surface.

· Underside is black with brown at the margins.

Parmotrema_Short Ciliated Lichen-2

FIX PHOTO TOO YELLOW Small hairs on edge of body.

Parmotrema sp._Parmotrema_Lagunitas Lake_2014-02-14__BHS-5

Parmotrema on a rock.  Notice no white structures on top.

Parmotrema sp._Parmotrema_Lagunitas Lake_2014-02-14__BHS

Parmotrema looks like grey-green lettuce on trees.

Punctelia Lichen

Punctelia perreticulata

 

Foliose

· Found on wood (trees, fenceposts, shingles).

· Gray-green body (thallus), different from yellow-green in the Flavopunctelia below.

· White structures on upper surface.

· Underside tan throughout.

Punctelia subrudecta

Obvious white structures on top surface.  GET BETTER PHOTOS FROM SHELLY

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Shield Lichen

Parmelia sulcata

 

Foliose

· Found on trees and rocks.

· Gray-green body (thallus), different from yellow-green in the Flavoparmelia below.

· Surface ridged with elongated white markings.

· Underside is black with dense branched roots (rhizines).

Parmelia sulcata-2

Grey-green top with long white ridges.

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Parmelia sulcata

Puff Lichen

Hypogymnia inactiva

 

Foliose

· Found on pine trees (conifers).

· Gray-green.

· Body has many branches (lobes).

· Body is hollow.

· Underside is black.

Hypogymnia inactiva_Puff Lichen-2

Notice all the branches.

Hypogymnia inactiva_Puff Lichen

The body is hollow.

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Platismatia Lichen

Platismatia, spp.

 

Foliose

· Found on trees.

· Grey green.

· Irregular frilly edges.

· Fruiting structures are roughly circular, with a flat brown top.

· Bottom is black, with brown and white edges.

Platismatia ssp._Platismatia_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS

Note frilly edges.

Platismatia ssp._Platismatia_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS-6

Fruits remind me of brown-topped toadstools.

Platismatia ssp._Platismatia_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS-10

Grey-green leafy look – look closer to see the frilly edges.

Lungwort Lichen

Lobaria pulmonaria

 

Foliose

· Occurs on trees and mosses.

· Upper surface dull green, turning bright green when wet.

· Large lobes on body.

· Upper surface has noticeable 3-D valleys.

· Lower surface light brown with fine hairs and with white raised areas.

Lobaria pulmonaria_Lungwort

3D surface turns bright green when wet.

Lobaria pulmonaria_Lungwort underside

Lower surface brown hairs and white raised areas.

Yellow-green leafy lichens

     Hints: Learn to distinguish yellow-green from gray-green leafy lichens.  Look at color underneath.  Look for white structures.

Green Cracked Lichen

Flavopunctelia flaventior

 

Foliose

· Found on wood (trees, fence posts, shingles).

· Yellow-green body (thallus)

· White structures, round to oblong in shape, on upper surface.

· Underside black with brown at the margins

Flavopunctelia flaventior_Green Cracked Lichen__SB-2

White structures on yellow-green body.

Flavopuncteelia flaventior_Green Cracked Lichen

Underside black with brown margins.

Flavopunctelia flaventior_Green Cracked Lichen__SB

Wrinkled Shield Lichen

Flavoparmelia caperata

 

Foliose

· Found on and around trees and bushes.

· Yellow-green body (thallus)

· No white structures on upper surface

· Underside black with brown at the margins

Flavoparmelia caperata_Wrinkled Shield Lichen

Yellow-green body with no white marks.

Flavoparmelia_Lagunitas Lake_2014-02-14__BJS-2

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Brown leafy lichens

     Hints: Look at color and shape on both the top and bottom of the body.

Veined Lichen

Peltigera canins

 

Foliose

· Found on the soil, mosses, or the base of trees.

· Flattish brown body with upturned edges.

· Lower surface shows raised veins.

Peltigera canins_Veined Lichen

Flattish brown body with upturned edges.

Peltigera canins_Veined Lichen underside showing veins

Underside shows raised veins.

Peltigera canina_Veined Lichen-2

Often found holding together steep soil slopes.

Charcoal Dot Lichen

Pseudocyphellaria anthrapsis

 

Foliose

· Found on trees

· Brown leafy lichen

· Jelly texture, sort of like seaweed.

· Tan color underside.

· Also shown below under non-leafy lichens.

Collema ssp._Jelly Lichen_Lake Lagunitas_2014_02-14__BHS

Dark Brown with jelly-like areas.

Collema ssp._Jelly Lichen_Lake Lagunitas_2014_02-14__BHS-3

Looks like brown seaweed or leaves.

Collema ssp._Jelly Lichen_Lake Lagunitas_2014_02-14__BHS-4

Underside brown.

Dog Lichen

Peltigera spp..

 

Foliose

· Found on trees, rock, moss or ground.

· Dark body (thallus) with light brown tips (apothecia).

· Body 3-dimensional, with hills and valleys.

· Underside white with roots (rhizines)

Peltigera_Dog Lichen_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS

Peltigera_Dog Lichen_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS.NEF-8

Peltigera_Dog Lichen_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS-8

Lichen is not leafy – it has a smooth surface with hills and valleys

     Hint: If your lichen is leafy, look at the sections above, which include lichens with smooth surfaces.

Charcoal Dot Lichen

Pseudocyphellaria anthraspis

 

· Foliose

· Found on trees and rocks.

· Brown upper surface with bumps

· Small orange or brown fruiting structures on upper surface.

· Tan lower surface with white bare spots

· Also shown above under Brown Leafy lichens.

Pseudocyphellaria anthraspis_Charcoal Dot Lichen

Orange fruiting structure on upper surface.

Pseudocyphellaria anthraspis_Charcoal Dot Lichen underside showing white areas

Tan lower surface with white bare spots.

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Rock Tripe

Umbilicaria spp.

 

Foliose

· Found only on rocks.

· Flat brown lichen attached by a central cord.

· Dark fruiting structures

Umbilicaria phaea_Rock Tripe

Note umbilical cord dent in middle left.

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Stick-like lichens

     These lichens all have rising stick-like structures, with distinctive tops.

Many-Forked Lichen

Cladonia furcata

 

Fruticose

· Found on wood or ground, often holding steep banks together.

· Greenish-grey scale-like body (thallus) with noticeable stalks (podetia) rising out of it.

· Stalks are hollow, often with a cup or red tip at the end.

Cladonia fircata

Many-forked lichen divides several times

Cladonia furcata_Many-Branched Cladonia_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS-2-2

This is pretty easy to spot as you walk by.

Cladonia lichen-3

Many-forked lichen holds up a steep bank.

British Soldier Lichen

Cladonia cristatella

 

Fruticose

· Found on wood or ground, often holding steep banks together.

· Greenish-grey scale-like body (thallus) with noticeable stalks (podetia) rising out of it.

· Stalks are hollow, often with a cup or red tip at the end.

British Soldier Lichen_Cladonia cristatella__TF

British Soldier has red tips at the end of its stalks.

British Soldier Lichen 2_Cladonia cristatella__TF

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Matchstick Lichen

Cladonia macilenta

 

Fruticose

· Found on wood or ground, often holding steep banks together.

· Greenish-grey scale-like body (thallus) with noticeable stalks (podetia) rising out of it.

· Stalks are hollow, often with a cup or red tip at the end.

Cladonia macilenta-2

Cladonia macilenta

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Flat lichens on rocks

     These lichens are not really flat, but they give that impression when you see them from a distance.  Their parts are generally under ¼”.

Map Lichen

Rhizocarpum geographicum

 

Crustose

 

· Adheres tightly to rock (crustose).

· Flat green patches bordered by black spores.

· Looks like a map.

Rhizocarpum geographicum_Map Lichen-2

These lichens adhere tightly to the rock.

Map Lichen_Rhizocarpon geographicum__TF

Yellow-green and grey-blue areas are separated by black.

Rhizocarpum geographicum_Map Lichen

You can see why this is called a map lichen.

Stone Lichen

Xanthoparmelia spp.

 

Foliose

· Found on rocks or soil

· Grey-green or yellow-green.

· Often forms a circular pattern.

· Fruit structures (apothecia) are black and cup-like.

Xanthoparmelia-6

Leafy branches are narrow.

Xanthoparmelia_Yellow Stone Lichen

Fruit structures are black cups.

Xanthoparmelia

Overall effect looks like blue-green circles on the rock.

Orange Lichen

Caloplaca spp.

 

Crustose

· Found on Rocks

· Generally Orange

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Flat lichens on trees

     These lichens are not really flat, but they give that impression when you see them from a distance.  Their parts are generally under ¼”.

Pertusaria

Pertusaria spp.

 

Crustose

· Found on trees

· White or light grey

· Lots of  circular bumps

· No leafy structures

Pertusaria sp_Pertusaria_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS-2

You can see circular bumps if you look closely.

Pertusaria sp_Pertusaria_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS

Lichen adheres directly to tree.

Pertusaria sp_Pertusaria_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS-3

Looks like a white patch.

Redwood Cladonia

Cladonia spp.

 

Foliose

· Found on Redwood trees

· Tinges bark green

· Tiny leafy structures and fruits obvious only on close examination.

Cladonia ssp._Redwood Cladonia_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS

You can see tiny leafy structures if you look closely.

Cladonia ssp._Redwood Cladonia_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS-5

However, the general impression is a green wash.

Cladonia ssp._Redwood Cladonia_Lake Lagunitas_2014-02-14__BHS-6

Groves of redwood trees often appear covered in it.

Many-Fruited Lichen

Xanthoria polycarpa

 

· Foliose

· Found on oaks and buckeye

· Fruit is cup shaped disks with orange centers.

· Body (thallus) has narrow leaf-like structures and can be grey or orange.

Xanthoria polycarpa_Many Fruited Lichen

Close up of orange fruiting structure. <GREY COLOR IS MISLEADING – REPLACE>

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<ARE THESE STRUCTURES UNDER ¼”?>

Xanthoria polycarpa_Many-Fruited Lichen

Typically found as yellowish growths on Buckeye, as here.

© Creative Commons BY NC 3.0.  Contributors (identified by initials) are acknowledged at http://PlantID.Net/Contributors.htm

Reviewed by SB and KJ.  Last Updated 3/8/14 by BHS

 

Note to botanists and lichenologists – this page assumes common understandings and vocabulary, sacrificing more precise scientific terms in the interest of general communication.  Scientific terms, when used, are put in italics, often in parenthesis after the common wording.  We hope the loss of precision in wording is, to some extent, made up for by photographs showing key identification points.

 

Note to non-lichenologists – Here are some terms you might be interested in:

·       Foliose – Lichens that have a different upper and lower surface, either in color, texture, or structures on the surface.  They often look leaf-like, but these are not leaves as you would find on a tree or flower – they just look similar.

·       Fruticose – Lichens that are bushy or shrubby looking.

·       Crustose – Lichens that adhere completely to the surface they live on – you can’t see the bottom without destroying them.

·       Thallus – The main body of a lichen.  The shape and color of the thallus, top and bottom, are keys to identifying them.

·       Lobes – Finger-like shapes on the outer edges of the thallus.  Lobes vary a lot (e.g. pointy, frilly, rounded), and are a good identification key.

·       Podetia – A flowering structure growing out of the thallus.  These often help identify what kind of lichen you’re looking at.

·       Rhizine – A set of structures under the Thallus that holds the lichen to what it is attached to.  Rhizines do not function as roots – they don’t transfer nourishment.  The shape, color, and density of rhizines is a good identification key.