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Collema flaccidum

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description Collema flaccidum Overview

Collema flaccidum is a foliose jelly lichen containing a cyanobacterial partner. Its dark olive-brown lobes are broad, soft, and heavily wrinkled, and they can become more flexible and gelatinous when wet. The species grows in damp habitats, including mossy rocks, humid bark, and the bases of trees. Its dependence on cyanobacteria and its moisture-sensitive texture place it among the lichens commonly called jelly lichens.

help Collema flaccidum FAQ

How do you identify Collema flaccidum in the wild?

Collema flaccidum is a foliose jelly lichen characterized by its dark olive-brown, heavily wrinkled lobes. When wet, its cyanobacterial partner causes the lobes to become noticeably soft and distinctly gelatinous or jelly-like to the touch.

Where does Collema flaccidum typically grow?

This lichen species thrives in damp habitats and is commonly found growing on mossy rocks or humid tree bark. You are most likely to spot it in shaded, moist forest environments where it can retain water effectively.

Is Collema flaccidum harmful to the trees it grows on?

No, like most lichens, Collema flaccidum is an epiphyte and does not parasitize or harm the tree. It merely uses the bark as a surface to anchor itself while absorbing moisture and nutrients from the air and rain.

What is the symbiotic partner in Collema flaccidum?

Instead of green algae, Collema flaccidum contains a cyanobacterial partner within its fungal structure. This photosynthetic bacterium is what allows the lichen to fix nitrogen from the air and survive on nutrient-poor surfaces.

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