No images found for this plant ID: 11480.
Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "11480" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.
jelly lichen
Scientific Name: Collema fragrans
Family: Collemataceae
Category: Lichen
Growth: Lichenous
Duration:
Other Names:
River Jelly Lichen: A Fascinating Symbiosis
River Jelly Lichen, a captivating organism, is not a plant but a lichen – a symbiotic partnership between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium. These unique life forms contribute to biodiversity and ecological balance.
Considerations for Pets
- This aquatic lichen grows on submerged rocks.
- The thallus (lichen body) forms flattened or erect, bright to dark green rosettes.
- Some jelly lichens absorb water until they are jelly-like.
Scientific Classification
- Scientific Name: Collema dichotomum (With.) Coppins & Laundon
- Common Name: River Jelly Lichen
- Family: Collemataceae (the "jelly lichens" family)
- Order: Lecanorales
- Kingdom: Fungi (lichens are classified within the fungal kingdom due to the fungal partner's dominant role)
- Synonyms: Some older classifications might refer to similar species with slightly different names.
- Taxon Version Key: NBNSYS0000018437
Description
- The thallus (lichen body) is foliose (leafy), black, and gelatinous when wet.
- It can grow to 2-4 cm broad.
- Lobes are broadly rounded.
- Isidia and soredia (reproductive structures) are lacking.
- Spores are 4-septate, hyaline, and measure 20-40 by 3-4.5 ?m.
Distribution and Habitat
- Found in the upper reaches of rivers, specifically on submerged rocks and boulders in fast-flowing water.
- Example locations include Northumberland and Wales.
Ecological Role
- River Jelly Lichen is considered a key species whose conservation is important.
- It is susceptible to developments such as outdoor river pursuits that might compromise its habitat.
Related Species
- Several other species of Collema are mentioned, including:
- Collema fasciculare
- Collema crispum (Crinkled Jelly Lichen)
- Collema auriforme
- Collema flaccidum
- Collema fragile
- Collema multipartitum
- Collema furfuraceum
- Collema nigrescens (a leafy jelly lichen found on tree bark)
- Collema tenax
- Collema coccophorum
- Collema conglomeratum (Synonym: C. ohioense, Common Name: Dotted Jelly Lichen)
- Collema fuscovirens
- Other jelly lichens from the Leptogium genus are also mentioned.
Partners
- The photobiont (the photosynthetic partner) is the cyanobacterium genus Nostoc.
Quirky Facts
- Collema dichotomum "looks more like a seaweed than a lichen."
- Some jelly lichens are called "bat's wings" because they become jelly-like when they absorb water.
Further Resources
- ARKive (for photos and facts)
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Partnership with Nature: A Local Biodiversity Action Plan for Wales
- Australian Plant Names Index