Happy National Bog Day (23 July this year): Lichens on Bogs - four Lichenomphalia species

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

Lichenomphalia velutina

2. Lichenomphalia umbellifera Pale coloured cap, thallus made of granules.

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.

The Lichenomphalia umbellifera is 1/3 of the way up and 1/3 of the way in from the right.

The Lichenomphalia umbellifera is still 1/3 of the way up and 1/3 of the way in from the right.

3. Lichenomphalia hudsoniana - also on Malham Tarn Bog. This has tiny squamules like Normandina.

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