Description: Locally abundant throughout parts of the Burren, County Clare this small foliose ‘jelly’ lichen with short, knobbly, olive black lobes forms small cushions or rosettes approximately 1-2cm diam. The young tips of the lobes have minute, soft white hairs, whereas the older parts are covered with cyst-like protuberances (isidia). The lobe ends also have a splayed look making them look like cats’ paws. Outside the Burren, the species is rare and local. The classic habitat of the species is low, limestone cliffs over which there is some intermittent movement of seepage. In this situation, it can often occur alongside Leptogium diffractum and Placynthium subradiatum.

Key Identification Features:

• Tiny ‘jelly lichen’ with rosettes 1-2cm diam. Young tips of lobes with minute, soft, white hairs
• Lobes’ ends are splayed like ‘cats’ paws’.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

Distribution Map from NBN: Scytinium fragile at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Scytinium fragile at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.