Great intro to two remnants of Scotland's Caledonian Forest in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park: Glen Falloch and Coille Coire Chailc with a brief shot of Platismatia glauca. These woods need to be allowed to regenerate and join up. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSDV...

At RGBE, "E" herbarium there is a searchable database of some of their specimens, which includes a Fissurina alboscripta specimen that we collected in 2019 from Assynt. #LichenGBI data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E01002151

As some light relief we were given a tour of the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE) herbarium "E" by Assistant Herbarium Curator (Cryptogams) Heleen Plaisier. We had an intro on how specimens are stored and how they can be accessed. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI data.rbge.org.uk/search/herba...

Eric then shared his PhD work on the Poeltinula hochstetteri complex which could be split into an s.str. etc. We looked at a couple of samples and saw differences in the observed features which might show to different species. Our razor blades were seeing cutting edge stuff! #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI

Stretching our brains, Einar discussed the various techniques that they have used in Oslo to analyse the DNA sequences that they've seen. Various tools help build putative taxonomic trees, grouping specimens together into clades that may or may not represent (new) species. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI

John Douglass looked at our specimen of Rhizocarpon geminatum. However he re-determined it as Rhizocarpon subgeminatum as the epiithecium was green, the spores were colourless (except over-mature ones), the spores were small and has more than two spores per ascus. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI

The colour of the epithecium and whether it changes colour in KOH can be an important indicator - if you can see it. I think the options are a K- dark epithecium and green upper hymenium - or a dark epithecium which goes slight red in K. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI

Looking at Rhizocarpon spores will be of great help to get something to species. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI

Back on day one of the Rhizocarpon course, it was demonstrated that testing the medulla with KI was a good test for these genera. Some species show an amyloid I+blue reaction. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyloid...

On yellow map lichens Mike Haldeman gave a great talk from North America, heroically early in the morning before work. Mike had been looking at the Rhizocarpon geographicum group, an extremely polymorphic and still poorly understood species complex. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI @brucemccune.bsky.social

We were very pleased to be able to have a look at three separate Rhizocarpon alpicola specimens as we had been looking for this in Langdale. The specimens varied quite a bit and only a few areoles exhibited the classic eyeball of an apothecium surrounded by one areole. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI

When looking at the yellow-green Rhizocarpon species the arrangement of the areoles and apothecia is important. (Click for more) But these characters are not clear. There are other things to look for eg R alpicola has 1-septate spores.#Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI claude.ai/public/artif...

For #Rhizocarpon the apothecia arise from the hypothallus, not from areoles. Apothecia may look as though they are sat on an areole, but they aren't. Apothecia are surrounded by areoles, providing energy to make the fruit. I need to do a vertical section to prove this. #LichenGBI

The most common UK Rhizocarpon is R. reductum now called Rehmia reducta. It's got a grey to brown, cracked areolate thallus, rough disc, small muriform ascospores and usually K+ yellow, Pd+ orange colour reactions. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI

In the UK, Rhizocarpon geographicum is ubiquitous in the uplands on siliceous rocks with its multiple yellow-green thalli with dark edges giving it its common name "map lichen". There are other yellow-green species but R geog always has angular areoles around fruit. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI

Here's a list of the Rhizocarpaceae name changes affecting the UK, including an earlier Rhizocarpon oederi change. Perhaps Poeltinula cerebrina needs moving from Poeltinula???! #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI claude.ai/public/artif...

The Rhizocarpaceae genus changes can be summarised in this diagram, with Epilichen scabrosa becoming Catolechia scabrosa and Rhizocarpon splitting into Rhizocarpon, Rehmia and Poeltinula. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI claude.ai/public/artif...

By looking at DNA sequences from Norway and across the world, Einar and Eric from Oslo have recently published a paper with some taxonomic name changes in the Rhizocarpaceae Rhizocarpon group. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI fuse-journal.org/images/Issue...

Thanks very much to Rebecca Yahr for being the local organiser at RGBE, providing the workshop and lab facilities for the enthusiastic group of BLS rhizocarponeering lichenologists from all over GB. #Rhizocarpon #LichenGBI @britishlichensociety.org.uk @thebotanics.bsky.social

Thanks very much to Einar Timdal and Eric Möller at the Natural History Museum, University of Oslo for leading the @britishlichensociety.org.uk #Rhizocarpon course last week at Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE). And John Douglass for presenting a guide to UK Rhizocarpon. #LichenGBI

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It has been [2] days since I discovered a lichen taxonomic name change. xkcd.com/3140/

Here are a couple of interesting Lepraria species seen recently in Cumbria, L rigidula on sheltered acid bark in a rare upland oak wood showing long hyphae sticking out, and L neglecta in exposed spot on boulder top in montane habitat, about 850m. #lichengbi

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

@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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Blue sky and Blue sea @bsky.app

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

Also on the western end of Liathach we saw this plant that looks like Alpine meadow-rue (Thalictrum alpinum). That right @bsbibotany.bsky.social ?

On our walk up the western end of Liathach we found a Small White Orchid (Pseudorchis albida) near an outcrop that had some basic/alkaline influence. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

180°+ panorama of Ben Alligin, Beinn Dearg, Ben Eighe and Liathach

AAA Amazing Abhainn Alligin day yesterday exploring up the gorge above the road: great easy scramble in the dry conditions with great lichens on the trees and rocks. And butterwort, honeysuckle, bluebells, stonefly exuvia and large red damselflies.

Keep an eye open for ticks if you are in the countryside or hills - and remove them promptly if they dig in.

A few more lichens from the Inveralligin along the coastal path yesterday: always gorgeous Umbilicaria polyrrhiza, Pycnothelia papillaria, Lobaria pulmonaria, Sticta sylvatica, Sticta limbata and Pectenia plumbea. #LichenGBI