Description: This dark green to black filamentous, aquatic lichen is a common feature of fast-flowing acid streams and seepage tracks where it forms small, stringy mats clinging to the substratum like an algal weed. The thallus is only sparingly branched. It is relatively frequent in suitable habitats in hilly districts in Ireland.

Key Identification Features:

• The black, filamentous thallus forming small mats a few centimetres wide or extensive colonies in more acid waters should be sufficient to name it
• The rare Ephebe hispidula is smaller (colonies only a centimetre or so wide) and is covered in numerous, small, spine-like branchlets.

Original text submitted by Simon Davey

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

iNaturalist: Ephebe lanata at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.