Irish lichens

Collema tenax var vulgare

Order: Peltigerales       Family: Collemataceae

Enchylium tenax v. vulgare (Collema tenax v. vulgare)

Growth type foliose.
Photos: Carran turlough, the Burren and Co. Kerry, Ireland.

Small confluent rosettes of short, chunky, swollen, convex lobes. Strongly attached to substrate. Usually abundantly fertile.
Ascus usually 8-spored, the spores colourless, 3-septate to submuriform, 17-26 x 6.5-7.5 µm. Micro photos below.

Very common on mortar and damp, basic soil. Most records from western Ireland. Chemical reactions negative.

One of several morphs of Collema tenax, the others are
C. tenax var. ceranoides, rarely fertile, narrow ascending lobes,
and C. tenax var. tenax.


Collema tenax var vulgare

Collema tenax var vulgare

Collema tenax var vulgare

Microscope photographs
Collema tenax var vulgare

Collema tenax var vulgare, Nostoc chains
Immediately above and micro photos: Collema tenax var vulgare . Muckross Friary, Co. Kerry. Identified by Brian Coppins

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