this post was submitted on 07 Dec 2025
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Lichen

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i don't know what it is, just that it brings me joy

edit: it's a misidentified moss. 34 years old and still learning new things everyday

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[–] mechanismatic@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I asked the instructor of a lichen class I took a couple months ago and this was her response to the photo:

It's just moss with some dry spots in it. Mosses don't lichenize; the photosynthesizer is going to be either an algae, a cyanobacteria, or both.

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 days ago

today i learned!

[–] magpie@mander.xyz 5 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Looks like moss to me, I don't think lichenized moss is a thing. Some close up shots would help.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 3 points 5 days ago (2 children)

i know it looks like a straight moss but this is a moss/fungus lichen colony.

[–] mechanismatic@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

So in this case is the moss the photosynthesizer of the lichen symbiotic network in conjunction with fungi and yeast...?

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 1 points 4 days ago

maybe! i'm not well versed. all i know is that towards the edges you have the typical simple structure of moss but in the middle it's gotten to looking more like little yellow christmas trees

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

My guess would be Peltigera but I'm on my phone in heavy sunlight.

Any other shots?

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 days ago

just the one. my dog was needing to keep moving. let me look up peltigera…