Fungus
Elegant Sunburst Lichen
Xanthoria elegansAlso known as Elegant Sunburst, Elegant Lichen, Sunburst Lichen
Elegant sunburst lichen coats high-altitude and polar rocks in striking, radial crusts of fiery orange. Thriving in nutrient-rich microsites, it flourishes on cliffs heavily fertilized by roosting seabirds and small mammals. This slow-growing extremophile is so resilient that live specimens survived exposed to open space vacuum and intense solar radiation during orbital experiments.
AlpineBrightly ColoredExtremophile
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPhotosynthesis via green algal photobiont and mineral absorption
Predators
- Mites
- Springtails
- Snails
ThreatsClimate warming in polar regions and localized air pollution
HabitatsExposed rock faces, alpine summits, polar tundra, bird roosts
Life spanHundreds to over 1,000 years
Classification
- FamilyTeloschistaceae
- SpeciesXanthoria elegans
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many wild fungi have toxic look-alikes; never ingest wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Rock Scanning: Look for vivid orange patches on sunny cliffs and elevated bird perches.
- Magnification: Use a hand lens to admire the tiny cup-like apothecia crowding the center.
- Minimal Disturbance: Leave crusts attached to rocks, as they grow mere millimeters per century.
Ecological Similar Rosser1954 Roger Griffith / Public domain · cc0
Co-occurring Lichen (c) Colin Meurk, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Colin Meurk · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Donald Hobern, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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