Lichens

I have a good list of Renfrewshire lichens which I will put on this page soon and make available as a downloadable file. 

They are an interseting and sometimes challenging group but are useful indicators if important habitats such as ancient forests and undamaged moorland and heathland. They have also been very useful indicators of atmospheric pollution over the past decades

Recently, lichens were a critical issue in defeating an unsuitable hydro-scheme in the Calder Valley above Lochwinnoch.

I'm pleased to say that,due to air quality improvements, there has been a great increase in the growth and density of lichens over the past 40 years that I have been lookng at them.

However, the bigger bushy species will still be confined to cleaner air areas.

Here are some conspicuous shrubby species as a starter. You can get good images and information from the NBN Scotland website

Evernia prunastri

Pseudevernia furfuracea

Usnea subfloridana

Bryoria (Alectoria) fuscescens

Ramalina farinacea - common on trees

Ramalina fraxinea [wider, wrinkled straps] now rare in many areas.

Ramalina fastigiata  - not so common (lack of records)

Ramalina siliquosa - coastal rock species