SafePlants

No images found for this plant ID: 11485.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "11485" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Dogs?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Cats?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Reptiles?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

jelly lichen

Scientific Name: Collema fuscovirens

Family: Collemataceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names: OH (dusky jelly lichen)

       

River Jelly Lichen: A Unique Symbiotic Organism

The River Jelly Lichen, also known as Collema dichotomum, is a fascinating example of a lichen, a symbiotic partnership between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium.

Considerations for Pets

  • The text mentions that when it rains, some jelly lichens absorb water until they are jelly-like in consistency.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Collema dichotomum (With.) Coppins & Laundon
  • Common Name: River Jelly Lichen
  • Family: Collemataceae
  • Order: Lecanorales
  • Synonyms: The text also mentions several other Collema species, including Collema fasciculare, Collema crispum, Collema auriforme, Collema flaccidum, Collema fragile, Collema multipartitum, Collema furfuraceum, Collema nigrescens, Collema coccophorum, Collema conglomeratum (synonym: C. ohioense), Collema tenax, and other jelly lichens such as Leptogium gelatinosum and Leptogium aragonhi.

Description

  • The thallus (lichen body) can form flattened or erect rosettes, ranging from bright to dark green.
  • It can appear more like a seaweed than a typical lichen.
  • The lichen body is gelatinous when wet.
  • The lobes are convex and finger-like, typically one to two centimeters long.
  • Spores are 4-septate (divided into four sections), hyaline (translucent), and measure 20-40 by 3-4.5 ?m.

Distribution and Habitat

  • This aquatic lichen grows on submerged rocks and boulders in fast-flowing rivers.
  • It is found in the upper reaches of rivers.
  • Specific locations mentioned include Northumberland (Great Britain), Wales, and the Sierra/Cascade foothills.

Ecological Role

  • Safeguarding existing populations of River Jelly Lichen is important when considering developments that might compromise its conservation.

Quirky Facts

  • Some jelly lichens are called "bat's wings" because when it rains they absorb water until they are jelly-like.

Symbiotic Relationship

  • The photobiont (the photosynthetic partner) is the cyanobacterium genus Nostoc.
  • The text suggests that Collemataceae (&#8220jelly lichens&#8221) is a large family of fungi forming lichen symbiotic relationships.

Further Information

  • ARKive is mentioned as a source for photos and facts about River Jelly Lichen.
  • The Encyclopedia of Life contains information and articles about Collema dichotomum.