Isfield Ancient hedge Pedunculate Oak. Pleuros 19.11.25 Peursticta acetabulum

Qurcus robur, Pedunculate Oak

Pleurosticta acetabulum 

Found on deciduous trees in well-lit habitats; in the past common, but in the 21st century there have been few record. A very south-east lichen! 

High Weald Medieval Deer Park Lobaria pulmonaria on Ash 14.09.24

I am unable to name the location of this lichen, as the owner of this park does not want any bioologcal observations on his property to be in the public domain,

Once common and widespread, they're now pushed to the westernmost extremities of the UK due to air pollution. Woodland Trust Lungwort Lichens

Ash, Fraxinus excelsior

This Ash is not in good conditions, so this lichen is very vulnarable

Lobaria pulmonaria

This is probably the last Lobaria pulmonaria left in Sussex, but formerly it was not alone. Here is a screen shot of the British Lichen Society database for Sussex's L. pulmonaria listings.

It was recorded at East Dean Park Wood, Parham Park, and St Leonard's Forest as well as this site

In the Atlas of Sussex Mosses, Liverworst and Lichen (1991) Rose, F, Stern R.C, Matcham H. W. & Coppins B.J.  Borough of Brighton, Booth Museum of Natural History Lobaria pulmonaira is listed at

L0857 L. pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm.

On mature trees in ancient parklands; formerly locally frequent in the High Weald, now very rare. Still 41/91 at East Dean Park Wood, 1970, 1989 (on one Quercus and two Fraxinus; 51/01 Parham Park, 1988, on two Quercus; 51/53 Eridge Park, on six trees, 1968; still on one Acer and one Fraxinus, 1988. (Formerly also on the sandrocks.) [Old records (in BM) for 41/80 West Stoke; 51/22, 23 St Leonards Forest; 33 Balcombe, Ardingly Sandrocks; 53 Eridge Park and Rocks, 1842; 71 Ashes Wood; 81 Broomham, E.N. Bloomfield.]

This Atlas is now very out of date, as, in all bar one of these locations, P. lobaria has gone. However, this atlas is an extremely important evidnce of what was once in Sussex but has now gone.

Lobaria changes between 1986-1998 included atmospheric pollution, which was a major cause of decline, particularly from SO2 and acid rain. Changes in woodland management, such as heavy thinning and shorter rotation periods, also led to a decline by creating drier conditions and disrupting the continuity of old-growth forests. Habitat-related factors, such as the loss of veteran trees, and microclimatic changes were also key contributors to the population changes observed during this period Wolseley, Patricia & James, P.. (2000). Factors affecting changes in species of Lobaria in sites across Britain 1986-1998. Forest Snow and Landscape Research. 75. 319-338. 

We know see L. pulmonaria as a charaterist lichen of Atlantic woodlands (temperate rain forest) but it hard a much wider distibution, especially in Southern Oceanic Park Woodlands

Parham Park Ancient Dry Bark Communities (Lecanactidetum premneae) on Pedunculate Oak 14.09.25.

Parham Park is an SSSI and anceient deer park. Parham Park is a medieval deer park situated on Folkestone Sands at the foot of the South Downs. It has one of the richest epiphytic lichen floras in south east England. SSSI Citation

All sections of text in italics are quaotation, online sources at the end of text

Quercus robur, Pedunculate Oak

This Oak is about 10m north of the main entrace road, almost as soon as you walk through the entrance gates

Lecanographa lyncea

On dry, rough, usually well-lit bark or lignum of ancient Oak or (rarely) other species including Beech, Field Maple, Hornbeam and Turkey Oak, in ancient, usually open, parklands or pasture woodland.  A frequent component of less acidic Ancient Dry Bark Communities (Lecanactidetum premneae). 

Lecanographa lyncea grows on bark that is only rarely, if at all, wetted by stem flow and likely obtains most of its moisture from dew. The greater thermal mass of large Oaks inducing more dew deposition may be a factor in its restriction to older trees. It needs a generally humid oceanic climate, but not a very wet one where frequent stem flows extend into overhanging bark, hence encouraging bryophyte growth. It is therefore very rare or absent in temperate rainforest habitats but can be abundant in southern oceanic woods.

Sanderson (1996 & 2010) found that this lichen was completely absent from developing old growth stands that were clear felled in the early 18th century, even when the lichen was frequent in adjacent ancient old growth pasture woodland in the New Forest. It had however, recolonised pasture woodland developed over farmland abandoned after the Black Death. This suggests it typically requires over 300 years to colonise new woodlands. British Lichen Society Lecanographa lyncea

Cresponea premnea

On dry, rough, usually well-lit bark and sometimes lignum of old Oak, Holly, Yew and rarely other species including Beech, Hornbeam, Rowan and Lime; intolerant of nutrient enrichment. The dominant species of the Ancient Dry Bark Communities (Lecanactidetum premneae) on dry bark on old trees, often with Lecanographa lyncea

The Ancient Dry Bark Community (Lecanactidetum premneae) needs a generally humid oceanic climate, but not a very wet one where frequent stem flows and hence bryophyte growth extends into overhanging bark. .. . Sanderson (1996 & 2010) found that, in the New Forest, Cresponea premnea was rare in developing old growth stands that were clear felled in the early 18th century, even when the lichen was frequent in adjacent ancient old growth pasture woodland. It had however, fully recolonised pasture woodland developed over farmland abandoned after the Black Death. Cresponea premnea was a somewhat earlier colonist than Lecanographa lyncea, which was wholly absent from early 18th century stands, but still needs over over 300 years to fully colonise new woodlands. British Lichen Society Cresponea premnea

Petworth Deer Park 09 & 10.06.25

Petworth Deer Park was a Medieval deer park. Its 700 acres is surrounded by a 14 mile wall. It has a large number of ancent and veteran trees. The lichens listed here are only a tiny proportion of the abundance and diversity of the park.

Sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus.

Sycamores are not know for their lichen diversity but this veteran Sycamore had a variety of less common lichens.

Physconia grisea

Ochrolechia androgyna

Ochrolechia subviridis

Physcia clementei

Lepra albescens

Haematomma ochroleucum

Ramalina farinacea

Ramalina fastigata

Beech, Fagus sylvatica.

Pertusaria flavida

Pyrrhospora quernea

Candelariella vitellina

Lepra corallina

Oak,  Quercus robur  

Cresponea premnea

Lime, Tilia x europaea

Riodina roboris 

Large Leaved Lime, Beech, Hazel and Ash. Newtimber Holt. nr Brighton. 13.05.25 South Downs

Newtimber Holt is a small but very biological interesting area of ancient woodland on Newtimber Hill. It is owned by the National Trust and managed by Saddlescombe Farm. It is probably the most interesting chalk scarp face ancient wood along the eastern South Downs. 

For a longer post on its vascular plants and lichens see: Vascular plants and Lichens at Newtimber Holt, South Downs scarp face ancient woodland, West Sussex, nr. Brighton. 17.05.25

On Large Leaved Lime

Lepraria finkii

On Beech

Enterographa crassa

Cladonia caespiticia Stubby-stalked Cladonia

Possibly Fuscidea lightfootii

Lecidella elaeochroma Lecidella Lichen

Xanthoria parietina Golden Shield Lichen

On Hazel

Graphis scripta sensu lato

On Ash

Flavoparmelia caperata Common Greenshield Lichen

Parmotrema perlatum Black Stone Flower

The orange is free-living Trentepohlia sp. alga, growing on top of the lichen (i.e. not its photobiont)

Punctelia jeckeri Powdered Speckled Shield Lichen

Hypotrachyna afrorevoluta

Parmelia sulcata Netted Shield Lichen

Large Leaved Limes, Beech and Ash. Rook Clift SSSI, Harting Down. 13.05.25 South Downs

"Rook Clift is a small wooded combe on the scarp slope of the South Downs. The soils are predominantly calcareous in nature, overlying the chalk of the Downs. Deeper soils occur at the foot of the slope, and also the course of a stream, arising within the wood. This site is an ancient woodland which remains in a semi-natural condition. Large leaved lime Tilia platyphyllos dominates the canopy, together with ash Fraxinus excelsior and some beech Fagus sylvatica. Large leaved lime is a nationally scarce tree, with its natural range concentrated on the limestones of the Wye Valley and Peak District. Thus the high concentration of mature coppice stools, occurring on chalk, make this site nationally important and unique within West Sussex and the South Downs Natural Area. ... The steep sided valley around the steam is more open with a canopy dominated by ash and wych elm Ulmus glabra." Nature England SSSI Specification

Large Leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos

Enterographa Crassa

A distinctive species often dominating large areas of trunk in pure mosaics of small interlocking waxy brown thalli, spotted with small dot like apothecia, which often line up in dendritic patterns. Very common in south western and Irish woodlands on humid shaded trunks. ... On shaded bases and trunks of mature or senescent broad-leaved trees and shrubs, especially in woodlands, ... tolerant of low illumination and moderate levels of pollution. In shaded humid woods it can completely dominated large areas of trunk in pure mosaics of small interlocking thalli. British Lichen Society Enterographa crassa Also common in ancient woodland in Sussex,

Ash, Fraxinus excelsior

Elf-ear lichen, Normandina pulchella

On a fallen ash. This lichen always grows on/with bryophytes (mosses or liverworts); here with the liverwort Forked Veilwort, Metzgeria furcata. It has a characteristic shape but it is very small. It could be confused with Cladonia caespitica; but with a hand lens the bluer central part of its quamules should be obvious, which Cladonia caespitica does not have.

Mosaic with Graphis scripta, Lecanora chlarotera, possibly Arthonia radiata and a Pertusaria sp.

Lecanora chlarotera

Graphis scripta

A Pertusaria sp.

Possibly Arthoina radiata

On dead fallen ash

Veteran Goat Willow, Beech, Pedunculate Oak and Hornbeam at Marstakes Common 26.04. Low Weald

Goat Willow 

Marstakes Common has a very large number of notable and veteran trees listed in the Woodlands Trust Ancient Tree Inventory. I wrote a post about the flowers (ancient woodland vascular plant indicators) of Marstakes Common and Grantham's Rough, the neighbouring wood, in my general nature blog Sim's Nature Notes,  A Pin-Head lichen, ancient trees, and spring flowers at Marstakes Common, South Chailey. 22.04.25

See the online Ancient Tree inventory map and click on the flag for details of these trees. 

Marstakes Common would originally have been wood pasture on lowland heath, used for pannage (pig grazing of acorns, beach nuts, fungi etc.) in Autumn. In the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries the majority of Sussex commons were eradicated. Since grazing stopped at Marstakes the density of trees has increased greatly. At the north of the common (wood pasture still) you can get an impression of what the original common was like. Lichens need light to photosynthesise carbon from the air and water (via their algal/cyanobacterial photobionts). Lichen's do well on trees when there is light; pasture woodland is tone of the best habitats for epiphytic lichens; the more dense and shaped woods become the less lichen abundance and diversity 

Goat Willow, Salix caprea, 

On the trunk

Lepraria finkii, a "fluffy dust" lichen

Parmotrema perlatum, Black Stone Flower

Pyrrhospora quernea  

Lecidella eleachroma

On branches

Evernia prunastri, Oak Moss (not a moss!)

Punctelia subrudecta, Powdered Speckled Shield Lichen

Beech, Fagus sylvatica

On Trunk

Graphis scripta sensu lato (in a loose sense, may be a related lichen), a Writing Lichen

Enterographa crassa 

"A distinctive species often dominating large areas of trunk in pure mosaics of small interlocking waxy brown thalli, spotted with small dot like apothecia, which often line up in dendritic patterns". Very common in south. BLS Enterographa Crassa

A photo from: British Lichen Society showing the interlocking thalli the dendritic patterns of lined-up apothecia

Pertusaria hymenea

(Could be confused with Lecanora chlarotera when the wart holes look greenish/brownish as they do in this specimen)

Hornbeam, Carpinus betulus 

Pertusaria pertusa, Pepper-Pot Lichen

Many Hornbeams have little lichen diversity; their epiphytic lichens often consist just of wart lichens (Pertusaria genus spp.) and script lichens (Graphidiciea family spp.)

Oak, Quercus robur

In a field on the other side of the wall (south) boundarying Marstakes common

On Trunk

Calicium viride, a Pin Lichen

Flavoparmelia caperata, Common Greenshield Lichen, and Ramalina farinacea (looks like thin straps)

Pyrrhospora quernia

Green lichen with brown apothecia in middle