Sea ivory (Ramalina siliquosa)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help

Summary

Description

A shrubby, yellow-grey to greenish grey lichen between 2 -7 cm long. The thallus is composed of erect or slightly pendant lobes, arising from the base, little divided, often scimitar shaped but very variable. Lobes may be glossy, or with granular outgrowths (warts) and wrinkled. The lobes are 2-9 mm wide with white spots towards the tips but not normally blackened at the base. The thallus often bears pale fawn coloured fruiting bodies, usually on short stalks. The thallus is hard and brittle when dry.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Widely distributed around the British Isles. Gaps in its recorded distribution are probably due to lack of suitable substrata.

Global distribution

-

Habitat

Found on hard siliceous rock in and above the splash zone, and inland in areas subject to maritime influence, such as the tops of sea cliffs.

Depth range

-

Identifying features

  • Thallus fructicose (shrubby), attached to substratum at single point.
  • Thallus hard and brittle when dry.
  • Thallus erect or slightly pendant and yellow-grey to greenish grey in colour.
  • Lobes, 2-9mm wide, white spotted towards the tips, coarsely tufted with granular outgrowths on surface, and rarely blackened at base.

Additional information

Ramalina siliquosa is eaten by sheep in Shetland and North Wales (Dobson, 2000).

Listed by

- none -

Bibliography

  1. CABI Bioscience, 2000. Index Fungorum Database. [On-line] http://194.131.255.3/cabipages/index.htm, 2002-04-23

  2. Dobson, F.S., 1997. Lichens of Rocky Shores. [Foldout pamphlet]. Shrewsbury: Field Studies Council.

  3. Dobson, F.S., 2000. Lichens: an illustrated guide to the British and Irish species. Slough: The Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd.

  4. Hayward, P., Nelson-Smith, T. & Shields, C. 1996. Collins pocket guide. Sea shore of Britain and northern Europe. London: HarperCollins.

Datasets

  1. Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre, 2017. BRERC species records recorded over 15 years ago. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/h1ln5p accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  2. British Mycological Society, 2018. Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ietmop accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  3. Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018. Ulster Museum Marine Surveys of Northern Ireland Coastal Waters. Occurrence dataset https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25.

  4. Cofnod – North Wales Environmental Information Service, 2018. Miscellaneous records held on the Cofnod database. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/hcgqsi accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  5. Dorset Environmental Records Centre, 2017. Dorset SSSI Species Records 1952 - 2004 (Natural England). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/vcjzts accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  6. Environmental Records Information Centre North East, 2018. ERIC NE Combined dataset to 2017. Occurrence dataset: http://www.ericnortheast.org.ukl accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-38

  7. Lancashire Environment Record Network, 2018. LERN Records. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/esxc9a accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  8. Leicestershire and Rutland Environmental Records Centre, 2017. Leicestershire and Rutland Fungi and Lichen Records. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/dqevqg accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01

  9. Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2017. Isle of Man wildlife records from 01/01/2000 to 13/02/2017. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/mopwow accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  10. Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2018. Isle of Man historical wildlife records 1995 to 1999. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/lo2tge accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  11. National Trust, 2017. National Trust Species Records. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/opc6g1 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  12. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.

  13. North East Scotland Biological Records Centre, 2017. NE Scotland fungus and lichen records 1800-2010. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/v6mt0g accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  14. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2024. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2024-03-19

  15. Outer Hebrides Biological Recording, 2018. Fungi and Lichens, Outer Hebrides. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/tmlsm4 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  16. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 2018. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Herbarium (E). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ypoair accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  17. South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre, 2018. SEWBReC Lichen (South East Wales). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/pzectv accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  18. Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service., 2017. Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service (SBIS) Dataset. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ab4vwo accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  19. The Wildlife Information Centre, 2018. TWIC Biodiversity Field Trip Data (1995-present). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ljc0ke accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  20. West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre, 2017. WTSWW Data: All Taxa (West Wales). Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/gaakk2 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  21. Greater Manchester Ecology Unit, 2018. Distribution of Fungi and Lichen in Greater Manchester. Occurrence dataset: https://www.tameside.gov.uk/ecologyunit accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-27.
  22. John Muir Trust, 2017. Knoydart Lichens, 1990. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/bxyy29 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

Citation

This review can be cited as:

Tyler-Walters, H., 2002. Ramalina siliquosa Sea ivory. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 19-03-2024]. Available from: https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1799

Last Updated: 12/07/2002