Oak, Field Maple and Beech in West Sussex ancient wood SSSI. 25.03.25. South Downs

This ancient woodland site lies on Upper Chalk and Clay-With-Flints and is dominated by a nationally uncommon woodland type: dry Ash-Field Maple wood. The majority of the woodland is managed under the coppice-with-standards system, with coppiced Hazel and Oak standards. Oak us not typically a tree which is seen on chalk; the Quercus robur in this wood grown on the clay-with-flints.

There were many common lichens, such as Common Greenshield Lichen, Flavoparmelia caperata, Black Stone Flower, Parmotrema perlatum, Lecanora chlarotera etc, but I have not included these in this post, as they are illustrated in other posts

Oak, Quercus Robur 

Schizotrema quercicola (Schismatomma quercicola)

Greyish or brownish-grey thallus (scratching orange). Scattered, punctiform soralia, initially pinkish-grey, fading white. 

Can be widespread in ancient woodland on the trunks of Oak and Beech.

New Index of Ecological Continuity lichen: 'Old woodland' indicator.

Pachyphiale caneola aka Gyalecta carneola

"A small but distinctive ancient woodland lichen, nicknamed Raspberry Winegums by Francis Rose from the small concave red- or orange-brown apothecia. These are set on a white thallus and found on base rich bark on older trees. In the south this is one of the earlier old woodland species colonising into older young growth stands" British Lichen Society Pachyphiale caneola

This is not a good photo; here is a photo that I took elsewhere:

Field Maple, Acer campestre

Thelotrema lepadinum, Bark Barnacle

Usually on sheltered, smooth-barked, deciduous trees.

A New Index of Ecological Continuity lichens: 'Old woodland' indicator species

Greyish-cream thallus smooth or uneven with numerous barnacle-like raised apothecia with large central openings. Discs usually visible, +/- white-pruinose. 

Beech, Fagus sylvatica

Pertusaria coccodes

Occurs on well-lit, nutrient-rich bark of deciduous trees, often wayside trees. This was at the base of an ancient beech at the edge of the wood, facing open fieldland. Most frequently occurs in South East England

Greyish thallus often with pale brown or whitish prothallus. Thallus +/- covered by conspicuous coarse, smooth, globose or ovoid-elongate isidia, often brown-tipped. Apothecia very rare, punctiform discs in smooth warts.