Lichen

Lipstick lichen, Cladonia macilenta, growing on a fallen tree trunk.

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2015-03-01.

Lichens

Two species of lichen growing on a tree trunk: Lecanora chlarotera and Lecidella elaeochroma.  For close-ups of these species see here.

It was several years ago that I noticed that lichen colonies on tree trunk tend to be elongated at right-angles to the length of the trunk.  Why this is so would make a good subject for discussion in a school science lesson.  I will leave it as an exercise for the reader.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK on 2013-11-30.

Lichen

Lipstick lichen, Cladonia macilenta, growing on an old fallen tree trunk.

Photo taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-09-20.

Lichen

A branched lichen, probably Evernia prunastri, on an oak branch.

I took a specimen home with me:

First photo and sample taken in the Wilderness, Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-04-06.

Lichen

A Lecanora sp lichen, probably Lecanora chlarotea growing on an ash twig (Fraxinus sp).

This is a close-up:

Specimen taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2014-03-30.