| dc.description.abstract | The Silesian Beskid represent a considerable mountain area (about 500 sq. km) in the western part of the Western
Carpathians. This territory extends from the Olza river valley in the west to the Żywiec Basin in the east.
The geological structure of the Silesian Beskid mountains is typical of the Western Carpathians. The main part is
build of the recumbent folding of Godula, overthrust upon that of Cieszyn. The recumbent folding of Godula, about
2000 m thick, consists mostly of sandstones and conglomerates which from the northern part of the territory, and of
Istebna sandstones which occur in the south. The rocks are very poor in calcium and are covered with a layer of
soil. The natural rocks appear only on the peaks and crests of the mountains. Their walls are an important habitat
for the life of epilithic lichens.
The Silesian Beskid have a typical mountains climate characterized by frequent rain falls, the number of which
increases propartionally on the height above sea level.
The spruce (Picea excelsa) dominates in the present tree cover. In the lover zones it has been artificially planted
to replace the felled deciduous woods. The planted spruces are devoid of the epiphytic lichens typical of this
tree. On old spruces growing naturally in the upper mountain spruce forest zone (Piceetum tatricum subnormale) at
an altitude of over 1100 m above sea level, the following lichen species may be found: Mycoblastus sanguinarius,
Ochrolechia androgyna, Parmeliopsis hyperopta, Parmelia bitteriana, P. vittata, Alectoria bicolor, et alia.
Old spruces in the Olza river valley, the "Istebna spruce trees”, are the habitat of such species as Haematomma
elatinum (plentiful), Parmelia vittata, Lecanactis abietina, and Parmeliopsis hyperopta. Their growth on spruces at
such low altitudes as 530-590 m above sea level distinctly suggests that these trees are native and natural in
character.
The following epiphytic lichens of the fir tree (Abies alba) are worth mentioning: Haematomma cismonicum,
Pertusaria chloropolia, Lecidea helvola, Lecanactis abietina, Calicium viride, and Lepraria candelaria.
On the bark of the beech tree (Fagus silvatica) occurring on the slopes of the mountains grow communities of
Lecidea efflorescens and L. pullata. The richest flora of epiphytic lichens appears on old beeches in the scantily
-preserved natural beechwoods of the lower zones (Fagetum carpaticum), where the following lichen species may be
found: Lobaria pulmonaria, Pertusaria hemisphaerica, P. pertusa, P. phymatodes, P. coccodes, P. insidiifera,
P. pulvureosulphurata, Ochrolechia androgyna, Lecanora intumescens, Parmelia pertusa, P. cetrarioides, Pyrenula
nitida, P. nitidella, Thelotrema lepadinum, Usnea glauca, Ramalina pollinaria, and Caloplaca herbidella.
The moist moss-grown bark of the beeches growing in shady damp places, mostly by streams, assembles very
characteristic species: Gyalecta flotowii, Bacidia phacodes, Parmeliella coralinoides, Porina faginea, Opegrapha
lichenoides var, chlorina.
The following epiphytic lichens of the maple tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) should be mentioned: Leptogium lichenoides,
Arthonia lurida, Diplotonuna betulinum, and Ochrolechia pallescens.
The rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) is the habitat of such lichens as Lecanora leptyrodes, L. nemoralis, L. pallida, L.
symmicta, Parmelia aspera, etc.
On the bark of the older tree (Alnus incana and A. glutinosa) there were found the following species: Porina
carpinea, Arthothelium ruanideum, Parmelia revoluta, Blastenia assigena, and a number of other lichens.
The ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is a tree often found near country buildings and along the roads, but it is rarer in
forest communities. The epiphytic lichens of this tree are represented by the following species: Bacidia luteola,
Lecanora chlarotera, L. subrugosa, Parmelia laciniatula, P. glabra, P. verruculifera, P. dubia, P. caperata, and
the species of the genera Xanthoria and Physcia.
On the bare wood of fences, shed—roofs, and bridge-rails, the following species, very rare in Poland, were found:
Cyphelium caliciforme, C. tigillare, Thelocarpon laureri, and Biatorella pinicola.
Among the terricolous lichens these should be mentioned: Trombium epigaeum, Peltigera lepidophora, Gyalecta
gleocapsa, Cladonia papillaria, Cl. caespiticia, Thelocarpon epibolium, etc.
A great number of epilithic lichens in the Silesian Beskid settle in unnatural habitats. As a result of the
cultivation of the shallow mountain soil, much rock rubble is produced and heaped up on the edges of the fields and
clearings or built up into loose walls, often of large dimensions. On the upper surface of the heaps and walls
grow communities of lichens, among which the dominant species are Stereocaulon pileatum and St. nanodes. Such a
community has the character of an initial community, attached to the stones just dug up, on which there are still
many particles of soil with mineral compounds.
On the underside of walls of sandstone rock, in shady damp places, there develop communities of Opegrapha lithyrga
var vestita, Chiodecton hutchinsiae, and Porina chlorotica.
Vertical, less overhanging rock walls are the habitat of shade-loving lichens, including Coenogonium nigrum,
Racodium rupestre, Opegarpha gyrocarpa, O. zonata, etc.
On boulders of hard Istebna sandstones protruding from the surface of the swiftly flowing waters of Czarna Wisełka,
Wolny, Janoszek, and Olza, there occur communities of Lecanora (A.) lacustris and Rhizocapron concentricum.
Among other epilithic lichens gathered in the Silesian Beskid the following species should be mentioned:
Microglaena corrosa, Parmeliella microphylia, Catillaria chalybea, Bacidia albicans, В. trachona, В. turgida,
Thelocarpon impressellum, Physcia sciastra, and Ph. vainici.
The lichens flora of the Silesian Beskid mountains hitherto numbers 394 species and many other lower taxonomic
units. It is based on author's materials collected in 1962-1966. The lichen specimens from the Silesian Beskid,
about 3000 in number, have been deposited in the Lichenological Herbarium of the Botanical Department of the Higher
Pedagogical School, Cracow. | en_EN |
