Happy National Bog Day
The fourth Sunday is July is National - nay International - Bog Day.
So I am writing a blog post about a favourite genus - whose members grow on Bogs.:
Lichenomphalia
These are lichens which have a Cap Fungus (Basidiomycete) partner- rather than the more usual cup fungus partner
1. They look like little umbrellas with a dimple in. (Omphalina means belly button in Greek - omphalos )
2. It is a surprise to learn that they are lichens not just fungi. (There are other fungi which look very similar which don't have the lichen association so take care! You do need a hand lens to see the thallus. But very close inspection with a hand lens reveals either little "globules/granules" or else little "squamules" at the base of these lichens- which are a mixture of alga and fungus.
3. I've just discovered they are member of the Hygrophoraceae - i.e. waxcaps - so they now share in the mystique and magic of Waxcap Surveys
4. They are so distinctive that relative beginners have a chance of recognising them. I remember being fascinated by a tiny yellow omphalinoid fungus up in the basic flushes and bog at over 3000 ft above sea level below Glas Maol when teaching a grasses course with the FSC at Kindrogan (centre sadly now closed) many years ago. Lichenomphalia alpina - sorry no picture just yet.
There are four species of Lichenomphalia - given in "the Lichens of Britain and Northern Ireland" book.
The first two below have a thallus that are globules- little green balls. The third has a thallus that are squamules that look like Normandina. The fourth is the yellow one mentioned above
1. Lichenomphalia velutina - found on Malham Tarn Bog - on a MTFC (centre sadly now closed) Lichen course with Allan Pentecost - This one is quite rare. It has a red or dark brown cap. Thallus made of granules
(Now I also wonder if this is the one I found above Stainforth )
2. Lichenomphalia umbellifera Pale coloured cap, thallus made of granules
3. Lichenomphalia hudsoniana - also on Malham Tarn Bog. This has tiny squamules like Normandina.
MushroomExpert.com writes about all the Ophalinoid fungi. lichenised or not here
1. Lichenomaphalia velutina - found on Malham Tarn Bog - 22 Aug 2015
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpizQffIi0B8Uj9sLGpllfL3vFIqB-QqpccgHJPf7IvWlziMZK1GWkqAWoNGou63REVvvGDklmsYmrV_RWbsAntN_2Q9JyG-e5-ia5cEY6sNvzLGvWVSimAPoZBYtPGMy-0LpCt2UmZXD_rB_sk1DZ8QXLUAlmM9yRP-0q4Zt8BifVywpwsLrQ67D_RRlu/w640-h480/lichenomphalia-velutina-tarn-mossa-by-j-allinson.jpg) |
Lichenomphalia velutina |
2. Lichenomphalia umbellifera Pale coloured cap, thallus made of granules.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphL7KX2V-RNh6bNhkd0BvQ0MzCAjYu3895YXJWwWAm86xAI54wFV-tDB9mmvhkslZqMtrOOydJ0SKkdER-5km4GXKhjKESzG4pJVlaNS15LM18Sb3ODbr48SM0QzyVbBB91d-7MXYRtkTL6_ciCUBUupSPNKF7HhiYkgURhD8FdmLJicFjznbTfNOC6zI/s320/Lichenomphalia%20umbellifera%20-%20Copy.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_WESXnXPwT9Nn09ubrX4iulkIsRVpWPCe_6d1ujoy9GXAI3ob-fDZYFdw1ZcBfe-kLWAU8IkF-Gxd34z2V7W-folHpM4BOPT3GD4S31qIlTakntf4y4Zr3O95gTKBcIifV15LfI68S8OC1RCcZlYxjwitO07e87dJYzP9rnzs67ql0QiRjNGQHPIY8Kx/w640-h480/lichenomphalia-umbellifera-whernside-flushes%20-%20Copy.JPG) |
Lichenomphalia umbellifera growing in a flush on Whernside 16 /08/2017 |
We found this on the BLS spring meeting this year at Moffat. Margaret dragged our little group back 1/2 a mile to see it in a curtain of wet sphagnum over a peat hag near Loch Skeen -It was only when we got back in the evening with the microscope we could see the tiny globules of the thallus growing in the Sphagnum.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4F1hobcfb6RZmPSrrjxb4kYuN4KTWVMFYXH5mb5NlYNPkkOAJ_R0_GrVRIE2s25TPgJ9XoTSkuHjfT2lLONUYOpNUP9mub3aHbOHiMDCgIoR8MjKE8QYNKFKHnDkkz_HU-GHLsR2giz_3zzsVilyqn-C_SviaRVoF1K8J2oj6g7M3OmDHtz03-b45GxKd/w640-h480/cladonia-polydactyla-dripping-from-damp-peat-hag-loch-skeen-02-lichenomphalia-02%20-%20Copy.JPG) |
The Lichenomphalia umbellifera is 1/3 of the way up and 1/3 of the way in from the right. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF9w4sRUkrOZkACgTEFguXgs1hYU_v_OUEbBI09yo6ClnVZDKKjIVLdHBTzVSfmjjZ9ahlW9c0aOUMw63akh2HQVy8KrT7JqsdCHHwC2Nan-mqryFbG1w_--6XOKkI2S8hbtQUfZcl_g0-vLjlTiVHAtQZAPuvfr9umtBc9NdP0xTwYs2tTjdYAR-OnwG/w640-h480/cladonia-polydactyla-dripping-from-damp-peat-hag-loch-skeen-02-lichenomphalia-02-cropped.JPG) |
The Lichenomphalia umbellifera is still 1/3 of the way up and 1/3 of the way in from the right.
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3. Lichenomphalia hudsoniana - also on Malham Tarn Bog. This has tiny squamules like Normandina.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_2QrJT8zXq9USAoEoDO4OVfp--veST5BaqLfeRe05eoYazDFgRjmXChjEDE3ZzKg8zkgKjhwZmTtWbYOFan7VxffL__b87COQnJnhNqZSj7YBPMJTffOupIqKALDFeSZTfKQKa7uRFFs2-eup4RU1yNI-tJnBDfMNrYI8B9i-zPiVp4N75OEbTyXGzqp/w640-h480/lichenomphalia-hudsoniana-1-by-j-allinson-t-020.jpg) |
Lichenomphalia hudsoniana - See the delightful squamules Malham Tarn Bog - 22 Aug 2015 |
Whilst here I will mention 1. The Lichenomphalia I found beside Haw Beck above Stainfort in October 2021, .. Not sure if I ever sorted it out
and 2. the Loreleia postii - A little orange omphaloid fungus that has an association with the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha - on the steps up to Giggleswick chapel