Solorina saccata, the "common chocolate chip lichen''

ralfwagner · Post by **ralfwagner** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 6:30 am

Hello,

in the Lech-valley near Rieden (Austria) for the first time (for me) I found a Solorina. Characteristic for the here shown Solorina saccata are the saccate apothecias. Solrina saccata shows 4 spores in the ascus, other Solorina species show 8 or only 2 spores.

a) Lobe with the typical saccate apothecias

b) cross section of an apothecia, showing the spores in the asci.

c) cross section of the lobe, showing the layer of symbiontic green algae and beneath the layer of green algae a cephaloid that contains the symbiontic cyanobacteria.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:02 am

Often I have read about cyanobacteria in symbiosis with lichens or fungi but have yet to run across it personally or maybe I have and just did not recognize it. These are some really good cross sections there Ralf, I especially like the second or first cross section, really intersting to see the asci.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:05 pm

Ralf, these are beautiful and interesting images & info.

Can you confirm the scale for me, please? Images #2 and #3 have almost the same scale bars, but #2 somehow gives the impression of being much higher magnification.

--Rik

ralfwagner · Post by **ralfwagner** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:49 pm

Thank you, Ken and Rik.

@Rik: The scale for both pics, #2 and #3 is indeed the same. Both were taken using the 10x objective and 10x eyepiece. But I agree with you, that #2 indeed seems to be taken with a 20x or 40x. Maybe this is because we intuitionally assume the spores to be very small ?

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:02 pm

Ralf, thanks for the confirmation.

I think you are right, that part of the impression is due to assumption that spores should be very small. (I am gradually learning better, from recent postings & discussion such as here.)

Another part is that image #2 is lower contrast and does not have the small sharp highlights of image #3, both features that I normally associate with higher magnification.

--Rik

PS. I just noticed, in the topic title, you closed with a double-quote " that the forum software turned into &quo . From time to time I have had that same problem. The best fix I know is to not use the double-quote, but instead two single-quotes (apostrophes). They look almost the same: " versus '' .

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 3:15 pm

You know Ralf, I have been wanting to see these things myself and it is good to know that they can be easily seen at a reasonable magnification, without really having to oil things up...well unless one wants to anyway.

Thanks Ralf

BJ · Post by BJ » Sun Dec 30, 2007 6:16 am

Ralf,

More fantastic photos - thank you. This is a lichen that I haven't seen very often (probably not because it is scarce, but because I'm not very observant!). What was the habitat? I have seen it growing directly on limestones and other basic rocks or in very shallow soils over these rocks. I particularly like the photo showing the asci - not the most aesthetically pleasing perhaps, but great to see the asci so clearly.

best wishes

Brian O.

ralfwagner · Post by **ralfwagner** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 7:57 am

Thank you, Brian.

There is some more information and pics on my website : http://www.dr-ralf-wagner.de/Flechten/S ... lisch.html
Among others, there is a habitat foto, too.

The particular individuum shown here grew between mosses on a basic lime rock. I have seen others in shallow soils of basic lime rocks in the Lech valley (Tyrolese limestone alps).