This Sunday afternoon I had a look through my recent photos of some of the lichens that I find growing in the area here, some of them in our own garden, others are found in the local forests of West Cork, growing on trees but also on rocks, on stone buildings, on roofs. Our own roof has some orange lichen (I read that this is a sign that we live in a clean environment… no pollution). I love lichen and find them fascinating but so far I have not had much luck with identifying them, for proper identification you need more than the naked eye, a microscope or at least a hand lens. So I’m not going to attempt to put identification with my photos as yet. Lichens are a combination of a fungus and one or more algae in a mutually symbiotic relationship. I read that the algae do the photosynthesis, providing the fungi with energy for reproduction, the fungi in turn provide structural form and protect the lichen from bright light . I find lichen beautiful and in fact would love a workshop on their identification, it would be very interesting especially as there are so many types of them growing here.
On the prompt of my brother-in-law I looked up this wonderful educational website: of the British Lichen Society ~ https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/learning/about-lichens: I’m sure it will be very useful for yours truly and for anyone else interested in lichen. Thanks Colin!
Lichens are found on so many trees.
Such an intricate pattern.
agoyvaerts 
Great selection of lichens. There are fascinating. I really should learn more about them
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I too would love a workshop or a course on lichens, fascinating…
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They are like art. I think they could inspire artwork.
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My thoughts too, so pleasing to the eye.
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I am a big fan of lichen (and moss) as well. I don’t know species either, but there are 3 categories: crustose, foliose, and fructicose. My favorite are foliose, leafy like their name. 🙂
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Thank you very much Eliza, I guess that’s where to start…with knowing the categories. I’ll be looking up those terms on relation to lichens, and your favourite being foliose, that’s got a nice ring to it alright 👌
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Thank you. Brilliant photos. You must have a good lens.
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Thank you very much. I am getting better at using my mobile phone Colin. It’s worth putting in the practise and it’s so handy to carry around.
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I feel like the beauty of lichens is often overlooked. Love your pictures.
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Thank you Julia, I think so too, at times they remain hidden and yet are so beautiful and important, like all things in an ecosystem.
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They say there is no such thing as coincidence – it’s the way our minds connect things – but the topic came up recently with my dye group and now talk about lichens seems most popular.
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Yes, it seems to be hanging in the greater consciousness. The importance of lichens is being recognised. There is a goed group on lichens on Facebook, brilliant photos!
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PS I love the bottom lichen in particular.
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Hi Helen, yes they can be so beautiful and intriguing 😊
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