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Rhizocarpon geographicum; Map Lichen   

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Rhizocarpon geographicum
Rhizocarpon geographicum
Map Lichen
Photographer: Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

ID: 0000 0000 0317 1770 (2017-03-20)

Copyright © 2017 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

 
INFORMATION PROVIDED WITH THE PHOTO
  • date of photo  Jul 4, 2016
  • latitude 46.21318   longitude 13.54701     View on Google Maps.
  • location   Mont Matajur region, next to the trail from village Livek to Mt. Matajur, west of Planina Matajur, Julian Pre-Alps (Posočje, Slovenia)
  • notes   Slo.: zemljevidni skorjevec - syn.: Rhizocarpon riparium Räs - Habitat: mountain grassland, moderately steep mountain slope, south aspect; on the border of limestone and flysh bedrock; open place, full sun, moist place; exposed to direct rain; elevation 1.400 m (4.600 feet); average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 3-5 deg C, pre-alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: small inclusions of hard, smooth, siliceous rock in bare, exposed calcareous (limestone or dolomite) bedrock. Comment: Rhizocarpon geographicum is beautiful, conspicuous lichen, which is very common in the regions with siliceous, acid ground. But in Slovenia it is rather a rare find because of the lack of such ground. With its bright yellow thallus, black apothecia and black prothallus and characteristically areolate pattern of the thallus, which coarsely resembles a map, it is superficially easy to determine. However the Rhizocarpon geographicum group is extremely polymorphic, still poorly understood species complex. Several taxa have been separated with slightly different chemistry, spore properties and/or habit. The thallus of Rhizocarpon geographicum grows very slowly, only about 0.1 mm per year (Ref.4). The largest thalli can be much more than thousand years old. This slow hrouth is used in global warming studies. Retreat of glaciers can be measured by measuring thalli diameter along valleys with retreating glaciers. Thalli up to 10 x 6 cm large. Ref.: (1) F.S. Dobson, Lichens, The Richmonds Publishing Ca.LTD (2005), p 386. (2) V. Wirth, Die Flechten Baden-Württembergs, Teil.2., Ulmer (1995), p 812. (3) V. Wirth, R. Duell, Farbatlas Flechten und Moose, Ulmer, (2000), p 137. (4) B. Marbach, C. Kainz, Moose, Farne und Flechten, BLV Naturfürer (2002), p 90. (5) C.W.Smith, et all, The lichens of Great Britain and Ireland, The British Lichen Society, (2009), p 800. (6) I.M. Brodo, S.D. Sharnoff, S. Sharnoff, Lichens of North America, Yale Uni. Press (2001), p 635.
  • camera   Canon G11, 6.1-30mm/f2.8-4.5
  • contributor's ID #  Bot_983/2016_IMG0758
  • photo category: Fungi - lichen

  • MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FUNGUS
  • common names   Map Lichen (photographer)
  • View all photos in CalPhotos of Rhizocarpon geographicum
  • Check Google Images for Rhizocarpon geographicum


  • The photographer's identification Rhizocarpon geographicum has not been reviewed. Click here to review or comment on the identification.

     
    Using this photo   The thumbnail photo (128x192 pixels) on this page may be freely used for personal or academic purposes without prior permission under the Fair Use provisions of US copyright law as long as the photo is clearly credited with © 2017 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy. For other uses, or if you have questions, contact Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy amadej.trnkoczy[AT]siol.net. (Replace the [AT] with the @ symbol before sending an email.)


     

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