Ichmadophila ericetorum
Ichmadophila ericetorum is a lichen that loves to grow on rotting wood. I have found it once in the spring 2020 during a trip near Breightenbush Road, and again in the summer on the coastal range. I have trained myself to observe the small cup fungi and have gotten pretty good at finding some of the little black cup Ascomycetes. The apothecia (little pink discs) are the fertile surface and contain the spindle shaped spores. The matte granulated green behind the pink discs is Coccomyxa, a photobiont algae that contains chloroplasts. This means this lichen is part fungi and part algae!
Classification:
Kingdom -Fungi
Division -Ascomycota
Class -Ascomycetes
Order -Leotiales
Family -Baeomycetaceae
Genus- Icmadophila Trevis.
Species- Icmadophila ericetorum (L.) Zahlbr
Description:
Thallus pale green to blue green, crustose, thick
Apothecia 1.5-4mm diameter, slightly raised on short stalks, disk like and flat, pink to pinkish orange with paler margins
Asci cylindrical
Spores colorless, fusiform, 2-4 celled, 8 per ascus
Habitat grows on well rotted wood, generally north of the 45th parallel
Kingdom -Fungi
Division -Ascomycota
Class -Ascomycetes
Order -Leotiales
Family -Baeomycetaceae
Genus- Icmadophila Trevis.
Species- Icmadophila ericetorum (L.) Zahlbr
Description:
Thallus pale green to blue green, crustose, thick
Apothecia 1.5-4mm diameter, slightly raised on short stalks, disk like and flat, pink to pinkish orange with paler margins
Asci cylindrical
Spores colorless, fusiform, 2-4 celled, 8 per ascus
Habitat grows on well rotted wood, generally north of the 45th parallel
Resources:
https://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=ICER&display=31
http://www.sharnoffphotos.com/lichensC/icmadophila_ericetorum.html
Brodo, Irwin M. Lichens of North America (2001).
https://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=ICER&display=31
http://www.sharnoffphotos.com/lichensC/icmadophila_ericetorum.html
Brodo, Irwin M. Lichens of North America (2001).