Identification: Three lichens growing on rocks with no ID

Here is number one, tiny bluish-green flakes.

 

No. 2, a dark gray, almost black appearance. It is just ‘fused’ to the rocks.

 

And No. 3, also almost part of the rocks, bluish-gray with black fruiting bodies.

 

Good evening N, might be Lecidella elaeochroma. But I expect J @Frog will ID it more positively.

 

3. maybe Arthonia sp

 

Resources for lichens:
CNALHWeb-Key 41.4464 -72.76427 within 100 km
Lichen Gallery :: Crustose and placodioid lichens

 

Lovely finds @Nik! No. 1 might be the squamules of a Cladonia, not sure. Can you give me an approx diameter of a lobe and whether they are on bare rock or soil over rock? Also habitat/environment may be relevant.

No. 2 & No. 3 would take a bit of work to ID: I'm not sure how to effectively convey the challenges most crustose lichens represent :-) ... e.g. I have a large two volume set of books that covers most microlichens of the Pacific Northwest, and most IDs involve microscopy and chemistry and specimen in hand ... plus a level of specialist skill.

From your close-up shots of No.2 it appears to have apothecia rather than perithecia, unless I am seeing two different species together, which is possible: Determining that difference with a handlens will help with ID, as will specifics on the environment/habitat/elevation/type of rock.

No. 3's marginate apothecia, thallus colour and rock substrate will help narrow things down, but my resources for east coast species are limited, and there are still numerous genera and species with these basic characters..

cheers
frog

 

1. maybe a Lecanora or a Protoparmeliopsis or a Squamarina or a Xanthoparmelia

 

Hi Sulev, thank you for the Arthonia sp. suggestion! It looks like it. I checked in Wikipedia a list of species of Arthonia and it’s endless... decided that genus ID is enough. Thanks again!

 

Hi @Frog , No. 1 grows not directly on the rock, but over something I believe used to be a thin layer of moss or other lichens, now completely decomposed. Diameter of the lobes is about 2-3 mm. It grows on the shadier side of the stone in a fully sun-exposed location, surrounded by haircap moss. Plenty of moist air every morning and most days in the summer.

 

I think No. 3 could also be Porpidia crustulata.

 

Could be.
It would be helpful, if there was something (ruler, measuring tape, lighter, matches, phone etc) on photos for comparision of the scale/magnitude.

 

I realize that now.. next time I will use a ruler. In this picture, the haircap moss on the left (dark green-brown) is about 1 cm diameter rosettes.

 

Here are some photos with a ruler I just took, @Sulev . I hope that is useful.

 

That is much better!
Unfortunately I am not a lichen expert. I have studied some lichens, mainly those, that occupy tree bark or are indicator species for virgin forests and undisturbed natural sites.