Chris Cant

Common Lichens of Northern Alaska. This new short introduction to lichens produced by two scientists in the National Park Service helps open peoples' eyes to conspicuous species that they have never seen before! Very limited print run, but formatted pdfs are available: irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Re...

Happy World Rainforest Day! Join April Windle from the British Lichen Society to explore one of Devon’s finest temperate rainforests and the #lichens found there. Full video can be found on YouTube: youtu.be/OjCsyR6CThk?... #worldrainforestday #worldrainforestday2025

Thanks very much - that was quick. I can send you the specimen and grid reference if you want.

possible bryophilous fungus - spikes/hairs just visible on two black fruit.

possible bryophilous fungus - asci

possible bryophilous fungus - 1-septate spores around 20x6.5μm

possible bryophilous fungus - more 1-septate spores and asci with spores

@ilichenmoss2.bsky.social‬ We found this possible bryophilous fungus BF on a moss near the first top of Ben Alligin in Torridon in May as lichen by-catch. Hairs coming out of two fruit. Asci and spores seen inside. Spores: 1-septate spores around 20x6.5μm. Any ideas? #Bryophilous #BryophilousFungus

Micarea lignaria var. endoleuca thallus with apothecia on a bryophyte on the ground

Micarea lignaria var. endoleuca epithecium green and our spores up to 6-septate

Micarea lignaria var. endoleuca thallus showing C+ yellow/orange ish...

Micarea lignaria var. endoleuca: A tissue pressed on to the thallus with K, then with C applied goes orange

Another specimen from Torridon on a terricolous bryophyte mustbe Micarea lignaria var. endoleuca with pale green granular thallus and black apothecia. The thallus has C reaction and is KC+orange as well as P-. Like other M lignaria, it has green epithecium K- and multi-septate spores. #LichenGBI

Polycoccum trypethelioides galls with perithecia on Stereocaulon condensatum at Bealach na Bà in Applecross

Polycoccum trypethelioides perithecium section with 8 brown spores in each ascus

Polycoccum trypethelioides brown 1-septate spores

Polycoccum trypethelioides brown 1-septate spores, with lower cell smaller

A specimen from Bealach na Bà in Applecross was a lovely lichenicolous fungus Polycoccum trypethelioides forming galls on lichen Stereocaulon condensatum. The black dots are perithecia containing 1-septate brown spores, 8 per ascus. First record of this in the west highlands. #LichenGBI

Tiny thallus of Peltigera venosa

Trapelia coarctata on small rock fragment

Pale pink frosted schizidia (vegetative propagules) of Dibaeis baeomyces

Gravelly mine spoil with few plants - location of rare Peltigera venosa

Cumbria lichen group visited Dufton Fell a few days ago to look at mine spoil. Terricolous and saxicolous #lichens aplenty including rarities. Old lead and baryte mines exploited minerals exposed in this upland Pennine valley.
#lichengbi

Female ghost moth

Female ghost moth

Trapeliopsis glaucolepidea on a short peat side to the path, puffed up with soredia - no fruit in this case

Probably Acarospora subfuscescens fruit infecting another lichen eg Acarospora fuscata. Its fruit have large carbonised and broken margins. Inside were lots of tiny spores in each ascus. Second record for vice-county.

This is lichenicolous fungus Nesolechia oxyspora infecting the thallus of Xanthoparmelia conspersa. The black dots are the LF fruit which contains slightly pointed spores, 17.6x5.6μm. First record for vice-county.

Porpidia striata on a pebble. The younger fruit just have visible striations on their margins. The fruit exciple is carbonised on the outside. Spores: 19.2x8μm, simple.

Along the Beda Fell ridge were small outcrops and nice heath. Beside the path on peat was Trapeliopsis glaucolepidea, on rock: probably Acarospora subfuscescens infecting another lichen, Nesolechia oxyspora infecting Xanthoparmelia conspersa and Porpidia striata on a pebble. #LichenGBI #springwatch

Looking along Beda Fell towards High Street

Looking back at Yew Crag on the other side of Ullswater

Ruby tiger moth

Lasallia pustulata - dry

On Friday we had a shortish walk along Beda Fell from Martindale near Ullswater in a dry spell - though still chilly on the 500m top. We saw a Ruby tiger moth and various interesting lichens though round here Lasallia pustulata indicates a lot of sheep. @LichenGBI

Rhizocarpon introduction

A lovely Rhizocarpon awaiting identification, with R geographicum also in the picture.

Ochrolechia tartarea

Schismatomma umbrinum, scratched paler mid-central - this area glows brightly white in UV.

We had an introduction to the Rhizocarpon genus from a visiting expert who took many samples to confirm some identifications. Lots of other saxicolous species on the rocks and dry-stone walls, including Ochrolechia tartarea and Schismatomma umbrinum. #LichenGBI

Parmelia saxatilis with copious isidia on the top surface of the leafy lichen

Graphis elegans with furrowed margins to the elongate fruiting bodies

Normandina pulchella amongst moss with sorediate margins

Coenogonium luteum: the thallus is a grey film on the moss - the fruits have obvious orangey discs and a paler margin

We found these slightly more common lichen species: Parmelia saxatilis, Graphis elegans, Normandina pulchella and Coenogonium luteum. #LichenGBI

View over Watendlath tarn to mixed woods that we visited with many ash pollards around

Ricasolia virens looking very dry (despite being splashed) on an ash pollard

Lichenologists seeking shade

Pannaria conoplea on another pollard

The Cumbria Lichen and Bryophyte Group visited Watendlath yesterday to look at the ash pollards, other trees and the rocks on the ground and in the dry stone walls. #LichenGBI

Micarea adnata with slightly scurfy thallus (C-), larger slightly pink apothecia and a white sporodochium

Micarea adnata micareoid algae: small and dividing into two and four

Micarea adnata apothecium section colourless

Micarea adnata spores: small with one just about visible as being one septate ie ignore the oil blobs

A specimen from Colonsay on an elm wasn't a Bacidia as we expected but Micarea adnata. The spores weren't acicular and the algae look micareoid. The spores were small and 0-1 septate. An apothecium section was colourless. The thallus and apothecia were C-. White sporodochium visible. #LichenGBI

Lochan in Torridon with island that has trees and higher vegetation

A picture postcard view of Torridon - but note the tree and higher vegetation on the island in the lochan, presumably like that as they are away from the sheep and deer - though we haven't seen any this week - perhaps NTS exclude them as far as possible here.

Alectoria nigricans on the top right of this boulder

Alectoria nigricans with a bilberry flower for scale

Alectoria nigricans showing the paler basal stems with pseudocyphellae - and darker pointed tips on the right

Tufts of Alectoria nigricans hopefully visible on top of the boulder

On the wee red hill An Ruadh Mheallan in Torridon, on the way down at 500m asl we saw a lot of Alectoria nigricans lichen on top of an erratic sandstone boulder above the gneiss, presumably out of reach of munchers and tramplers. #LichenGBI

I've also asked my MP what prosecutions have taken place for those who cause it to spread into the wild. It may be hard to prove but it is in-your-face obvious where most of the Rhododendron ponticum have come from. A test case might concentrate some minds!

As it is invasive species week, I've written to my MP to ask him to ask the Environment secretary to consider an outright ban. As there are plenty of other gaudy Rhododendron species available, it's a quick environmental win with virtually zero economic consequences.

Rhododendron ponticum Find out why Rhododendron ponticum is an invasive plant, and how to identify it. Expert advice from BBC Gardeners' World Magazine.

"At present it is not illegal to buy or sell Rhododendron ponticum, or to plant it in a garden. However, R ponticum is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, meaning it is an offence to plant or otherwise cause to grow this in the wild."
www.gardenersworld.com/plants/rhodo...

View west from Torridon over Rona and Skye towards the Uists

Blue sky and Blue sea @bsky.app

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Rhododendron ponticum under Scots pines in Torridon

Sad but appropriate to be finding Rhododendron ponticum during Invasive Species Week 2025 :-(
#INNSweek
www.nonnativespecies.org/what-can-i-d...

Birch tree with good lichens

Lobarina scrobiculata

Ricasolia virens

A small birch tree at car park had some great lichens on, smaller than usual, including Lobarina scrobiculata and Ricasolia virens. #LichenGBI

Midges just visible in the photo

Four-spotted chaser dragonfly just visible

Rhagium bifasciatum

We had a brief explore of the pine woods alongside Abhainn Coire Mhic Nobuil just up from the car park. There were lots of midges but also a few insects around include a four-spotted chaser dragonfly and lignum specialist longhorn beetle Rhagium bifasciatum.

Rhododendron regrowth and flowering where cleared in recent years

Rhododendron regrowth from cut stump

Rhododendron clearance correctly includes poisoning of the stumps to ensure that they don't regrow

Lots of Rhododendron regrowth under the Scots pines

Yesterday we saw lots of previous work (in 2020?) to cut the Rhododendron within the Torridon House bounds. However there's a huge amount of regrowth and flowering now, extending into National Trust for Scotland land outside. It is likely that the Rhododendron has affected the lichens etc #LichenGBI

Removing invasive rhododendron

Sadly on the way up Sgòrr a' Chadail on Liathach we found multiple rhododendron plants up to waist high - which we removed - must be the very damaging invasive R ponticum spread from a seed source nearby. Amazingly this is still legal to sell for use within gardens. National Trust for Scotland land.

Allantoparmelia alpicola

Cetrariella commixta

Cetrariella commixta

On the rocks on or near the top of Sgòrr a' Chadail on Liathach were saxicolous lichens Allantoparmelia alpicola and Cetrariella commixta. #LichenGBI

Thamnolia vermicularis

Alectoria nigricans

Lepra dactylina

On the top Sgòrr a' Chadail on Liathach at 700m were amounts of terricolous lichens: Thamnolia vermicularis, Alectoria nigricans and Lepra dactylina. #LichenGBI

Secoliga jenensis

Placynthium nigrum

Collema glebulentum

More basic outcrop (with holly) on right with Ben Alligin behind.

On the way up Sgòrr a' Chadail, the hill at the western end of Liathach in Torridon yesterday, there was an outcrop which unexpectedly had several basic/alkaline lichen species on:
Secoliga jenensis, Placynthium nigrum and Collema glebulentum. #LichenGBI

Starry saxifrage and Opposite-leaved golden saxifrage

Starry saxifrage basal leaves and stem

Starry saxifrage flower

Also on the west end of Liathach today was Starry saxifrage and Opposite-leaved golden saxifrage. @bsbibotany.bsky.social