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Glittering lichen, Andasibe, Madagascar The bright yellow/green lichen spots on this tree attracted my attention. I slightly dramatized the contrast, but not much. It's a complicated scene where I suspect we see at least two lichens on top of each other. Africa,Andasibe,Christant Path,Madagascar,Madagascar 2019,World Click/tap to enlarge

Glittering lichen, Andasibe, Madagascar

The bright yellow/green lichen spots on this tree attracted my attention. I slightly dramatized the contrast, but not much. It's a complicated scene where I suspect we see at least two lichens on top of each other.

    comments (11)

  1. View Christine Young's profile
    Christine Young
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    Love it!

    So, the grayish patches are part of the lichen, right? The yellowish blobs could just be the apothecia? Looks like a crustose lichen, perhaps?     Posted 5 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
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      I'm sorry, but I still have no idea how lichens work, their anatomy. I did find this somewhat similar scene without the bright spots:
      https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9953486       Posted 5 years ago
      1. View Christine Young's profile
        Christine Young
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        Here's a short lichen tutorial:

        When you see a lichen, you ask yourself two main questions (there are probably more things to consider, but I'm still learning as well, so start with these two):
        1. What is it growing on? Wood, soil, or rock?
        2. What is the growth form: a) foliose (leafy), b) fruiticose (stands up like a tiny tree or dangles and is thread-like), or c) Crustose (plaques/smears of color that can't easily be removed from the substrate. These lichens look painted onto the substrate and may have little bumps called apothecia*).

        *Apothecia are fruiting bodies on the upper surface of the lichen. This is an important feature for classifying the lichen. Other features are cilia (eyelash-like hairs), cups (at the end of stalks and look kind of like goblets), and branching (does the lichen have stalks that are divided repeatedly).

        There are no doubt more details to consider, but this is most of my knowledge...so far! Lichens are hard to understand!         Posted 5 years ago, modified 5 years ago
        1. View Christine Young's profile
          Christine Young
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          The black, roundish things on this lichen are apothecia:
          Large-fruited Boulder Lichen - Porpidia macrocarpa Black, raised apothecia that were around 3 mm (maybe larger) in diameter. The thallus was whitish gray. <br /> <br /> Habitat: It was growing on rocks along the Atlantic coast. Geotagged,Porpidia macrocarpa,Spring,United States,lichen,porpidia
           Posted 5 years ago
          1. View Christine Young's profile
            Christine Young
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            Crustose examples:
            Frosted Rim-Lichen - Lecanora caesiorubella Crustose lichen with pinkish brown, sessile apothecia and a gray thallus.<br /> <br /> Habitat: Deciduous tree in a rural, wooded yard<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/76744/frosted_rim-lichen_-_lecanora_caesiorubella.html Geotagged,Lecanora caesiorubella,United States,Winter

            Smoky-eye Boulder Lichen This crustose lichen had such beautiful, sky-blue apothecia and was completely stunning. The apothecia were rimmed with black/dark blue and the thallus was gray. They were growing on large, moss-covered rocks throughout a mixed forest. Geotagged,Porpidia,Porpidia Lichen,Porpidia albocaerulescens,Smoky-eye Boulder Lichen,Spring,United States,crustose lichen,lichen

            Plitt's Pore Lichen Bumpy, gray lichen that was growing on a large rock. Geotagged,Pertusaria,Pertusaria plittiana,Plitt's Pore Lichen,United States,Winter,lichen
             Posted 5 years ago
            1. View Christine Young's profile
              Christine Young
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              Foliose examples:
              Physcia pumilior Habitat: Growing on a stick in a wooded backyard habitat<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/75069/physcia_pumilior.html Fall,Geotagged,Physcia,Physcia pumilior,United States,lichen

              Rough Speckled Shield Lichen Beautiful blue-green lichen growing on a pine tree in a coniferous forest. It looks like the tree may have a fungal infection because it had some red, discoloration to the bark, which you can see in the picture. Geotagged,Lichen,Punctelia rudecta,Rough Speckled Shield Lichen,United States,Winter

              Parmotrema reticulatum - Ruffle Lichen Pale green lichen with black cilia around its edges and small, (very) fine cracks. Powdery, pale brown to orange soredia are present. Lower surface is dark gray to black. K+ on upper surface (yellow-green).<br /> <br /> Habitat:<br /> On a fallen hardwood branch in a dense mixed hardwood/coniferous forest in Northwest Georgia (Gordon County), US.<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/56187/parmotrema_reticulatum_-_ruffle_lichen.html Ascomycota,Geotagged,Lecanoromycetes,Parmeliaceae,Parmotrema reticulatum,United States,Winter,lecanorales,lecanorineae,lecanoromycetidae,leotiomyceta,lichen,lichens,osleum clade,pezizomycotina,ruffle lichen,saccharomyceta
               Posted 5 years ago
              1. View Christine Young's profile
                Christine Young
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                Fruticose:
                Cladonia asahinae I found a bunch of these lichens growing on a rock in a rural yard. Cladonia asahinae,Geotagged,Spring,United States,cladonia,lichen

                Old Man's Beard - Usnea hirta A pale green, fruticose lichen that grows like a mini-shrub on the bark of a tree. Geotagged,Spring,United States,Usnea hirta,lichen,old man's beard,usnea

                Old Man's Beard - Dolichousnea longissima A pendant lichen that hangs in long strands from trees. It is considered threatened and rare in the United States because of pollution and habitat loss.<br /> <br /> Habitat: Spotted in a coastal woodland. Dolichousnea longissima,Geotagged,Methuselahs beard lichen,Summer,United States,Usnea longissima,lichen,old man's beard
                 Posted 5 years ago
          3. View Christine Young's profile
            Christine Young
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            This lichen has cups on stalks:
            Cladonia asahinae, Pixie Cup Lichen A grouping of C. asahinae. Canada,Cladonia asahinae,Geotagged,Winter


            This lichen has cilia near the top:
            Parmotrema Lichen This lichen was turning orange-red and white because it was dying. The orange-red color could be from norstictic acid in the medulla that is reacting with something as it dies. Geotagged,Parmotrema,Parmotrema Lichen,Parmotrema hypotropum,Spring,United States,lichen
             Posted 5 years ago, modified 5 years ago
  3. View Christine Young's profile
    Christine Young
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    TMI, lol? Posted 5 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
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      No not at all, saw it yesterday already but it was close to bedtime, wanted to read it with care today. It is absolutely awesome, Christine, just what I needed. Posted 5 years ago
      1. View Christine Young's profile
        Christine Young
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        Haha, I only realized how much I commented in retrospect. Glad it was useful though! Posted 5 years ago

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By Ferdy Christant

All rights reserved
Uploaded Nov 12, 2019. Captured Jul 19, 2019 12:35.
country flag of Madagascar Explore Madagascar 3,111 753 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/8.0
  • 1/60s
  • ISO64
  • 105mm

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