What on earth is this?

[Kenn]

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i316/kenliz/Achvarasdal/2005_0121Achvarasdal0018.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i316/kenliz/Achvarasdal/2005_0121Achvarasdal0020.jpg

This has got to be the weirdest plant I have ever seen. It was growing together with the moss on an old tree stump and the underside of the leaves had white toothy fronds, the sort of thing I would expect on a fly trap/sundew plant.

[nirofo]

Hi LIZZ

It's Dog Lichen (Peltigera canina), it's quite common throughout.

nirofo.

[Kenn]

Thanks nirofo,fascinating, have been surfing the web and it appears to be a scottish lichen that is most obvious at this time of year, that would account for my not having seen it before.

[Stargazer]

Have a walk round Achvarasdal wood, there is an incredible variety of lichens of all types. At this time of year when there are no leaves the lichens are very prominent. Worthy of many photographs. Unfortunately the dog lichen is one of the few with a common name.:confused

[Kenn]

That's where I saw it, very interesting walk it was too.

[WeeBurd]

Lizz, we have a couple of patches of this stuff growing on a shaded part of our garden "lawn" - I've always wondered what it is, so thank you for solving that mystery! :)