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