Lichen collections

The lichen Xanthoria aureola

The Museum's lichen collection is one of the world's largest, and is an important research resource.

Specimens
- 400,000
Type specimens
- 10,000

Strengths

The collection consists of about 400,000 specimens and at least 10,000 type specimens.

It contains important historical collections, such as material collected by:

E Acharius
J M Crombie
W A Leighton
J Stirton

The Museum no longer keeps collections of non-lichenised ascomycetes or basidiomycetes. This material was transferred to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew on permanent loan.

Major collections

These include:

British and Irish Lichen Herbarium
General Lichen Herbarium
Myxogastria collection
Non-incorporated collections
Acharius Herbarium (Erik Acharius)
English Botany (Smith and Sowerby collection)
Fungal Model Collection (J Sowerby)

- E Acharius
- J M Crombie
- W A Leighton
- J Stirton
- J Sowerby

Specimens of the lichen Neuropogon aurantiaco-atra collected by Charles Darwin
Erik Acharius who is known as the father of lichenology
Mounted Xanthoria parietina lichen specimens held in the Museum's crypt herbarium

Country of origin

The collections contain lichens and lichenicolous fungi from around the world including Britain, Ireland, Antarctic areas, Australia, Chile and New Zealand.