Tiny Things in the Chaparral
Surprisingly, two of the dominant life forms in the chaparral are fungi and lichen.
Lichen in old-growth chaparral. Some lichens require at least 50-60 year old chaparral before they will be able to grow. On this dead branch of chamise are two very special lichens. At the top left of the branch is Flavopunctelia faventior. On the lower right, Usnea subfloridana.
Excellent papers on lichen in the chaparral Knudsen, K. & J. Kocourková. 2010. Lichens, Lichenicolous and Allied Fungi of the Santa Monica Mountains, Part 5: Additions and Corrections to the Annotated Checklist. Opuscula Philolichenum 8 : 83–100. Knudsen, K. & J. Kocourková. 2009. Lichens, Lichenicolous and Allied Fungi of the Santa Monica Mountains, Part 4: Additions and Corrections to the Annotated Checklist. Opuscula Philolichenum, 7: 29–48. Knudsen, K., & J. C. Lendemer. 2009. Two new species of Lecanora with gyrophoric acid from North America. Opuscula Philolichenum, 7: 21–28. Knudsen, K., B. Owe-Larsson, J.A. Elix, J.C. Lendemer, J. Kocourkova. 2008. Lichens and Lichenicolous Fungi of the Santa Monica Mountains, Part 3: Additions and Corrections to the Annotated Checklist. Opuscula Philolichenum 5: 53-60. Knudsen, K. & D. Magney. 2006. Rare Lichen Habitats and Rare Lichen Species of Ventura County, California. Opuscula Philolichenum 3: 49-52. Lendemer, J.C. & K. Knudsen. 2009. Two new usnic acid-containing species of Lecanora from western North America. Opuscula Philolichenum 7: 73-80.
The bright green lichen on these old-growth trunks of mission manzanita is Chrysotrix granulosa.
Unknown orange fungus, probably a slime mold, found after wildland fires in San Diego County.
