[363] Xanthoria parietina, Sunburst Lichen
Introduction
Xanthoria parietina is a very common and widespread, yellow-orange Lichen with many common names such as Common Sunburst Lichen, Common Orange Lichen, Yellow Scale and Maritime Sunburst Lichen.
Taxonomy
Kingdom – Fungi
Phylum – Ascomycota
Subphylum – Pezizomycotina
Class – Lecanoromycetes (Mostly Lichen)
Subclass – Lecanoromycetidae
Order – Teloschistales
Family – Teloschistaceae
Genus – Xanthoria
Scientific Name – Xanthoria parietina
The photobiont is a species of Trebouxia.
Name
Xanthoria is derived from the Ancient Greek root xantho meaning yellow. Parietina is a Latin word for old walls.
Description
This lichen has a foliose form similar to [147] Greenshield Lichen but is also described as squamulose, which relates to the small scales of a fish. It often has lots of brighter orange circles with a light border.
The overall colour depends on sunlight and humidity and is generally from bright yellow to orange. It can be paler yellow, sometimes almost green.
It contains am orange-yellow pigment, parietin (1,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-6-methylanthraquinone,) which is found in other types of lichen and in rhubarb.
Habitat
Xanthoria parietina is widespread through much of Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and North America. It is found on walls near the seashore but is also very common inland. It prefers tree bark or wood but is also found on walls or rocks.
Other Notes
This Lichen is much more common than the other two we have seen
The Species of Britain 