Golden hair lichen
Golden spaghetti
The golden hair lichen is a rare lichen from the family teloschistes, meaning ‘split ends,’ a reference to the plant’s finely divided thallus and dense coils which appear almost like brillopads. As its common name suggests, the lichen has a rich saffron pigmentation, making it distinctive and attractive in its appearance. Unlike other lichen, the golden hair-lichen does not lie flat, instead growing upwards and outwards like bright-yellow spaghetti.
On Scilly, it grows on short turf amongst rocky outcrops in sites such as Beady Pool on St Agnes. In the past, it was epiphytic (growing on trees) in many of its inland sites, with a love for old orchards, hedgerow trees, and elms in particular. On the Mainland, loss of suitable habitat and the lichen’s sensitivity to sulphur dioxide air pollution has resulted in the species only being found in the south-west and on the coast of Wales. Here on Scilly, we still have old orchards and Elm trees, as Dutch Elm disease hasn't made it this far, as well as an abundance of granite and windy cliff tops, making it a good environment for this rare and special lichen.
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The Isles of Scilly are famed for their rare species. Find out more about some of the unique island wildlife you can find across the islands
