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" Welcome to the florafaunauk site , hope you enjoy the pictures and posts giving a detailed insight into the Natural History of our Country throughout the seasons and year "All that the Sun Shines on is beautiful, so long as it is Wild" John Muir "



Tuesday, 2 February 2016

Life Amongst The Lichens

The Lichen Shown below is one of the Dog Lichens Peltigera sp Peltigera is a genus of approximately 91 species of foliose lichens It is possibly  Peltigera praetextata or Peltigera membranacea .The leaf area showed no visible isidia which would be more deinitive for membranacea  however there are a number of similars which would require a more detailed analysis such  as microscopic spore work .The Large large red-brown apothecia like varnished nails are reproductive structures .The shots below show some of the features of this "Dull Green Leaf Like Lichen" All species of Peltigera associate with the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria Nostoc which can make them somewhat toxic but an important component of ecological cycles Fixing nitrogen into the soil. This sample was found on compacted acid shale with small clumps of poorly established heather as might be expected of this habitat


Rhizines




in situ

Apotheca