I recently collected some bracket fungi to try and determine what type(s) of algae that there were growing on its upper surface. Prior to removing some of the algae to prepare a wet mount slide for examination, I placed the bracket fungi on the stage of my stereomicroscope for a general magnified view of the top surface area. I noticed small stalked formations rising up from the surface of the fungi and as of yet have I not found any reference to these growths, maybe I have not looked in the right places but I am hoping someone here may know right off hand what they are.
Those are stubble or pin lichens. If you take one and examine it under a compound microscope, you should see that the head-like tip is a mass of spores called a mazaedium. Steven Selva of the University of Fort Kent, Maine is an expert on these lichens. An online key to this group can be found here: http://www.thavibu.com/caliciales/index.htm. The order Caliciales no longer exists as these fungi (both lichenized and not) have recently been found to be polyphyletic - some seem to be a specialized form of Buellia. Nice find.
No wonder I could not find much or anything on these things. I never would have suspeceted them to be lichens. Thank you for the identification and for the link Gary, it is greatly appreciated. Regards, Ken
Anytime Ken, Did I mention that the presence of these lichens is an indicator of environmental health? I learned all this from Dr. Selva at the first Lichen Bio-quest at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park back in 2004. I don't know if the Park will be holding another one soon, but I would recommend checking it out. Gary
Something of that nature would be interesting to attend, there is so little that anyone finds anymore that is worthwhile. Yes, I have read many times of lichens along with some other organisms as being bio-indicators for our environment. Lichens are used to monitor air quality as Mayfly nymphs are to stream water quality. Speaking of the GSMNP, the ATBI (All Taxa Bio-diversity Inventory) is going on up there also. It would be interesting to see an up to date report on that endevor. I have read a few from sometime back and the last I recall they were cataloging beetles and that less than 50% of what lives there has only been cataloged as yet. One report said that the biodiversity of the mountain areas there are staggering and I would assume that would apply to the entire Appalachian Mountain range as well, the oldest mountains in the world you know, and they are at our backdoor! Regards, Ken
