Squamarina cartilaginea

Learn Your Lichens 4

Learn your Lichens Series

1. Arthonia radiata
2. Caloplaca flavovirescens
3. Acrocordia conoidea
4. Squamarina cartilaginea

Distribution Map of Squamarina cartilaginea - do click through to see that it is special to this area.

This conveniently grows on the  west facing wall of Settle - Langcliffe High Road, about 100 or 200 metres from the Settle end.  At eye level.

   

It's this big pale pastel green patch between my hands

Here's the same patch looking back towards Settle

 The thallus consists of whitish /pale green overlapping pruinose squamules. A squamule is a scale-like or leaf-like projection. 

Pruinose means with a waxy bloom like on a grape. The pruina is most obvious on the the margin of the squamules

Same patch, closer

 The discs are pale brown to dark red brown.

This patch is a bit blueier

 It grows in cracks in limestone. It is recorded as 7 (fairly pure air)on the pollution scale.

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It grows on the rocks high above this road, or rather high above the road to Airton. Here is a picture taken on 21 July 2015 -early in the morning after using Frank Rhodes' computer when mine was "on holiday"

View of Settle from the Squamarina cartilaginea