Lichens Lichens - Scottish Natural Heritage

A feature of these western hills that sets them apart
from those in the east is that lichens which grow on the
ground are rare. Instead, carpets of the Woolly Hair
Moss (Racomitrium lanuginosum) form an undulating
mattress over the ground. The distinctive lichens of the
western Highlands mostly grow on rock.
The mountains considered so far have all been acid,
which is the norm for the Highlands. But the foremost
areas for arctic-alpines, flowering plants, mosses, and
lichens alike, are those where calcareous rocks occur.
The outstanding locality for this feature is the
Breadalbane range in Perthshire. Here extensive
deposits of soft, calcareous schist outcrop over a
distance of 11.2 kilometres reaching a height of 1219
metres at one point. For two centuries botanists have
been making pilgrimages to this area and, though the
higher plants are now well-known, the lichens, which
are twice as abundant, are still being investigated.
moss. The communities are reminiscent of a minature
rock garden and they have probably been growing
undisturbed since the end of the Ice Age.
It is not just the outcrops that hold arctic-alpine lichens.
The lichens extend into burns, lochans, summit
grasslands and bare, gravelly areas. There is a
lifetime of investigation to be undertaken. It is every
lichenologist's dream to discover a new 'Ben Lawers'.
Just one such area has come to light in recent decades -
40 kilometres away in the remote Ben Alder range.
Calcareous outcrops on these mountains are restricted
and often stumbled on by chance. But once such a
site has been located it pays to spend several hours
with hand lens and kneeling mat examining every
'square inch' of its surface. The rewards are great,
ledges are crowded with rare and beautiful species
that scramble over rock, soil, dead vegetation and
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Snow patches in Lurchers Gully and
Coire an Lochan, Cairngorms
Snow patches in Lurchers Gully and Coire an Lochan,
Cairngorms