Gold Dust Lichen

The lichen world is a complex one. Lichens consist of two or three organisms – a fungus and an alga – living together in a symbiotic relationship and existing as a single complex community. The fungi partner provides the structural part of the organism and absorbs water and nutrient. The algae uses photosynthesis to produce carbohydrates – food – for the organism. If you’d like to dive deeper into the world of lichens, try the Australian Lichens page of Australian National Botanic Gardens site. There’s even a link to a What’s NOT a Lichen page, so good luck!

Anyway, I think several trees in Drouin’s Golden Whistler Reserve have colonies of Gold Dust Lichen (Chrysothrix genus probably). They provide a colourful contrast to the surrounding non-lichenized tree trunks.

Just like plants, fungi, mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, etc., lichens have an ecological role to play in an ecosystem. Lichens provide food and shelter for a range of invertebrates. Some bird and mammal species are known to eat various lichens.

Gold Dust Lichen is what’s called a crustose lichen – a simple lichen which lacks a three-dimensional structure and simply forms a crust. It is a fairly common lichen and can be found growing on a variety substrates – bark, wood, rock, terracotta roof tiles, etc.