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Gyalolechia fulgens
This rare lichen is not just striking, but also a crucial part of the biological soil crust community which stabilises soils and facilitates the growth of other plants. It also hosts a globally rare fungus Lichenochora epifulgens which is even rarer than the Scrambled Egg lichen itself.
It grows on open short calcareous grasslands and dunes. It needs an open, well-lit, free draining substrate such as limestone, chalk or sand made from shells, with a high pH. Most often it grows over mosses or sometime directly on rock, at coastal sites in the south and west of Britain.
As the name suggests, it really does look like a scrambled egg. It has a crust-like yellow body which is often paler in the middle with scattered orange fruits of 1.5mm.
It is historically rare in Britain and had gone extinct in the east of England due to habitat loss as a result of changes in farming practices, an increase in tree cover and a loss of rabbits.
We are working to bring it back to the Breckland through a process known as translocation. Read how expert Dave Lamacraft translocated the Scrambled Egg Lichen, taking it 350 miles, and transplanted it using bookbinding glue!
Unfortunately we don’t have a page on that species yet, but we’re always adding new species of plants, fungi and lichens, so make sure to check back again soon! In the meantime, why not explore some of the other species we have?
Byddwn yn anfon diweddariadau atoch chi ar e-bost am ein gwaith, newyddion, ymgyrchoedd, apeliadau a ffyrdd o gymryd rhan. Ni fyddwn yn rhannu eich manylion byth a gallwch optio allan ar unrhyw adeg. Darllenwch ein Hysbysiad Preifatrwydd.
