Ever wondered what that orange stuff is?

It’s all over the place. It’s quite attractive too…but what is it?

If you’ve ever asked that question, as we have, the answer is at hand, in the latest edition of Wombat Forestcare’s wonderful newsletter. In a typically informative article, ‘What is that orange stuff?’ John Walter gives us the answer:

On the Fryers Ridge. What is that orange stuff?

‘While it is often thought to be a lichen, it is actually a green alga belonging to the genus Trentepohlia.’ And he naturally follows up with: ‘I can hear the clamour of voices asking, “Why is it orange if it is a green alga?” The orange colour is the result of large quantities of carotenoids which mask the green of the chlorophyll.’ If you want to know more, you can find the newsletter here.

As usual the newsletter is packed with useful info: an enthralling article about native bees, and a distressing account of Vicforests continuing depredations in the Wombat.

Essential reading.