Candelaria (Candleflame Lichen)
Candelaria concolor
(and close relatives in genus Candelaria)
Lemon-yellow, powdery thallus that glows against bark year-round.
Tiny leaflike lobules and granular soredia form bright cushions; minute yellow discs (apothecia) may dot mature patches.
Candleflame lichen on birch
Powdery yellow soredia and tiny lobes hugging the bark.
A typical patch of Candelaria concolor showing its granular, lemon-yellow surface on sunlit bark.
Size: 4170×2780
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Settings: ISO 800 • Aperture f/11 • Shutter 1/4 s
Description
Candelaria is a small foliose/squamulose lichen. The thallus is bright yellow to yellow-green (usnic-acid rich), composed of tiny overlapping lobules with a powdery (sorediate) surface. Apothecia, when present, are flat yellow discs with a matching rim. Common on deciduous bark, fence rails, and nutrient-enriched substrates; often intermixed with greenshields and other crustose yellows.
Close view of apothecia and soredia
Tiny yellow discs (apothecia) among powdery soredia.
Note the lecanorine yellow rims and the flour-like reproductive dust that gives the species its soft texture.
Size: 4170×2780
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Settings: ISO 800 • Aperture f/11 • Shutter 1/6 s
Behavior
Ecology & growth: A photobiont-fungus partnership that spreads by soredia (powdery fragments) and spores from apothecia. Tolerant of light exposure and mild urban enrichment; patches expand slowly along bark ridges.
Color
Brilliant lemon-yellow to yellow-green; can appear brighter after rain. Underside pale; no distinct rhizines.
Morphology
Minute lobules (0.2–1 mm) with granular soredia; margins often fringed by tiny lobes.
Substrate
Most frequent on deciduous tree bark (maple, ash, elm, birch), twigs, wooden rails; rare on rock.
Size
Patch size from a few millimeters to several centimeters; individual lobules sub-millimetric. Apothecia typically 0.2–1.5 mm across.
Images
Mixed lichen community
Candelaria alongside greenshield (*Flavoparmelia*) and red-fruited *Cladonia*.
Shows how Candelaria occupies sunny bark patches within diverse colonies.
Size: 4170×2780
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Settings: ISO 800 • Aperture f/11 • Shutter 1/5 s
Sorediate cushions on twig
Powdery reproduction gives a soft, matte surface.
Compact cushions on a sun-exposed twig—classic candleflame color and texture.
Size: 4170×2780
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro
Settings: ISO 400 • Aperture f/8 • Shutter 1/60 s
Apothecia detail
Minute yellow discs with matching rims.
A focus-stacked view to show the fruiting bodies used for spore production.
Size: 4170×2780
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Settings: ISO 800 • Aperture f/8 • Stacked 8 frames
Habitat context on maple trunk
Bright yellow patches on nutrient-enriched bark in partial sun.
Wide environmental frame showing distribution around knots and bark fissures.
Size: 4170×2780
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro
Settings: ISO 200 • Aperture f/8 • Shutter 1/40 s
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