Parelle (Ochrolechia parella)

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

Summary

Description

A grey to buff-grey encrusting lichen with a white edge to the margin of the thallus. The thallus is thick and warted at the centre and large, growing up to 20 cm across. The thallus may show growth rings. The fruiting bodies sit on the thallus and have thick, swollen margins the same colour as the thallus. The discs of the fruiting bodies are flesh to pink in colour with a powdery surface.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Recorded from all coasts of Britain and Ireland. Gaps in its recorded distribution are probably due to lack of suitable substrata.

Global distribution

-

Habitat

Very common on hard smooth siliceous rocks, walls and, more rarely, on trees in sunlit situations. Found at the top of the supralittoral, exposed to sea spray, and further inland.

Depth range

-

Identifying features

  • Thallus encrusting and buff to grey in colour.
  • Thallus margin (prothallus) white.
  • Fruiting bodies with thick margins and pinkish and powdery discs.

Additional information

Up to the end of the last century, Ochrolechia parella was collected to produce the purple dye 'parelle' (Dobson, 2000).

Listed by

- none -

Further information sources

Search on:

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. Fish, J.D. & Fish, S., 1996. A student's guide to the seashore. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  5. Fletcher, A., 1980. Marine and maritime lichens of rocky shores: their ecology, physiology, and biological interactions. In The Shore Environment, vol. 2: Ecosystems (ed. J.H. Price, D.E.G. Irvine & W.F. Farnham), pp. 789-842. London: Academic Press. [Systematics Association Special Volume no. 17(b)].

Datasets

  1. BIS for Powys & Brecon Beacons National Park, 2017. Radnorshire Wildlife Trust records held by BIS. Occurrence dataset: https://www.bis.org.uk/ accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Dorset Environmental Records Centre, 2017. Dorset Sites of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) species records pre 2000. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/qyg29v accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

  7. 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.

  8. 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

  9. Fife Nature Records Centre, 2018. St Andrews BioBlitz 2015. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/xtrbvy accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  10. Fife Nature Records Centre, 2018. St Andrews BioBlitz 2016. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/146yiz accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  11. John Muir Trust, 2017. List of Lichen Species recorded on high ground in the Ben Nevis range. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ebpowr accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27.

  12. Kent & Medway Biological Records Centre, 2017. Lichens: Records for Kent.. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/c9skic accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

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

  14. 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

  15. 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.

  16. Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2018. Isle of Man historical wildlife records 1990 to 1994. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/aru16v accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

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

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

  19. Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service, 2017. NBIS Records to December 2016. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/jca5lo accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.

  20. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2025. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2025-05-21

  21. 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.

  22. Rotherham Biological Records Centre, 2017. Rotherham Biological Records Centre - Non-sensitive Records from all taxonomic groups. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/d3tufo accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  23. 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.

  24. 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.

  25. Staffordshire Ecological Record, 2017. SER Species-based Surveys. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/q8qen3 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  26. 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.

  27. The Wildlife Information Centre, 2018. TWIC - Identification Workshops dataset. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/pplu90 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.

  28. 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.

  29. 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.

  30. 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.
  31. 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., 2004. Ochrolechia parella Parelle. 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 21-05-2025]. Available from: https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1801

Last Updated: 01/09/2004