Bark Sulphur-firedot Gyalolechia flavorubescens
The Bark Sulphur-firedot (Gyalolechia flavorubescens) is a rare crustose lichen of ancient and veteran trees, producing vivid sulphur-yellow to orange-yellow thallus and apothecia on the rough, aged bark of long-standing oaks, elms, and other veteran broadleaved trees in old parkland, wood-pasture, and ancient hedgerows. Nationally scarce, it is an indicator of veteran tree continuity and the undisturbed bark microhabitats that develop only on trees of considerable age. In Suffolk, the county’s parkland landscapes and ancient hedgerow trees – particularly in the boulder clay and sandier areas of the county – provide potential habitat. Its presence signals a habitat of high conservation value, and the protection of veteran trees is central to its long-term survival. Image: © Emma Seppälä, iNaturalist.
Find out more: iNaturalist, British Lichen Society, Suffolk LNRS information page
Suffolk’s Priority Lichen Species
Key
Listed as a conservation priority in Suffolk’s Biodiversity Action Plan.
Closely associated with Suffolk’s landscape and natural identity.
Identified as a key priority for recovery under Suffolk’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Has a Species of the Month article attached.
