Anaptychia ciliaris
A rapidly declining large foliose lichen found on well-lit and moderately nutrient enriched tree trunks, often high up on the trunk. Declines due to past acidifying pollution and losses of Elm trees to disease but continuing from high levels of ammonia pollution, loss of old trees along with future threats from Ash Dieback. Scattered occurrences on limestone rock surviving better. The thallus is grey with long, much branched, narrow lobes which widen and become brown at their tips. The upper surface has a "furry" or velvety appearance whilst the lower is white and lacks a lower cortex (the hyphae form a loose mat). Cilia on the margins of the lobes are often pale and curved, giving the lobe tip the appearance of eagle's claws. Apothecia are common in unpolluted areas, with black, frequently pruinose discs and borne on short stalks.
Thallus 3–5 (–10) cm diam., ± strap-shaped, loosely attached; lobes elongate, to 3–5 cm long, irregularly branched, ± spreading horizontally with ascending apices and numerous conspicuous pale entangled cilia along their margins. Upper surface ± finely
tomentose. Lower surface pale brownish white, without rhizines or lower cortex. Apothecia occasional, 2–5 mm diam.; disc brown-black, often blue-grey pruinose; thalline margin smooth, even to conspicuously and deeply crenulate. All spot tests negative.
Easily recognised by its pale grey, strap-shaped lobes with numerous pale lateral cilia, and large apothecia with ± crenulate margins. May be confused with Anaptychia mamillata, which occurs on maritime rocks, has narrower thallus lobes, dark grey to brown when dry and dark olive-green coloration when wet, and lacks any tomentum on the upper surface. Sterile thalli could conceivably be confused with Heterodermia leucomelos, but that species occupies a quite different habitat, has a smooth upper surface, a white lower cortex and has a different chemistry.
Predominantly on bark of nutrient-rich well-lit mature broad-leaved, trees particularly Sycamore and Ash (and formerly elm), in parklands, pastures and along roadsides; also on rocks and gravestones. It usually occurs on the trunks of mature trees, well above ground level. Other trees include Lime and Oak, especially in pasture where there is some nutrient enrichment.
In Britain it is usually found in the Physcietum adscenditis association of the Xanthorion, often with Physcia aipolia, Physconia distorta, Pleurosticta acetabulum and Xanthoria parietina. In southern Europe it also occurs in the Lobarion.
Formerly widespread and locally frequent throughout England, from Devon north into eastern Scotland, but now scattered with the main centre of population in the Dorset-Cotswolds area. Very rare in Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Formerly widespread in pasture and on roadside trees, it decreased in many areas during the twentieth century due to Dutch Elm Disease, SO2 pollution and latterly also from high ammonia levels emanating from intensive agriculture. The species thrives on moderate nitrogen enrichment but is being lost from areas with high ammonia deposition, so does not appear to be tolerant hyper-eutophication. It has been suggested that particulate matter from inorganic fertiliser dust can become trapped in the tomentum and encourage the growth of algae over the cortex, smothering the lichen, however, it is equally being lost from trees not directly impacted by fertiliser spreading. Many surviving trees are Ash trees, which are now threatened with Ash Dieback Disease. It is still declining in many areas and is now largely extinct as an epiphyte in over large areas. In some areas relic populations survive on limestone, particularly on dry stone walls in upland areas with lower ammonia pollution. The main population now is from Dorset to the Cotswolds where populations persist in old pastures and parklands.
Britain: Endangered
Scotland: Priority Taxon for Biodiversity in Scotland
Wales: Endangered, Section 7 species
England: Section 41 species
Cannon, P., Thüs, H., Aptroot, A., Coppins, B., Orange, A., Sanderson, N. & Simkin, J. (2022). Caliciales: Physciaceae, including the genera Anaptychia, Heterodermia, Hyperphyscia, Mischoblastia, Phaeophyscia, Physcia, Physciella, Physconia, Rinodina and Tornabea. Revisions of British and Irish Lichens 23: 1–37.
Rose, F. (1998) Anaptychia ciliaris ssp. ciliaris. Species account 45/1998 in the Third Fascicle of the Lichen Atlas of the British Isles. British Lichen Society, London.
Text by Neil A Sanderson based on Cannon et al (2022)