Golden-Eye Lichen

This tiny orange to gold lichen has finely divided branches and is attached at a single point. Cilia (fine hairs) 0.3-0.7 mm long are present on the branches, as well as striking red-orange apothecia with ciliate margins like the sun’s rays. While small and not common, this species is so striking that it stands out, even among arrays of Ramalina or other lichens.

Nearly 150 species of lichen have been identified on the 5,896 acre UCSB Sedgwick Reserve in the Santa Ynez Valley.  With funding from John and Heidi Rabel, CCBER has published Lichens of Sedgwick Reserve and Santa Barbara County. This guide helps to identify 56 of the species with descriptions by lichenologist Dr. Shirley Tucker  and stunning, full color photographs by Chris Broughton, Professor of Photography at Brook’s Institute, providing a fascinating view of the beauty and complex symbiotic nature of lichens.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Thorsch