Lichens
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Glasgow Museums has a collection of approximately 5,300 lichenized fungi specimens. Lichens are composite organisms formed by a fungus hosting algal cells, and exhibiting a symbiotic relationship. The collection dates from the 19th century to the present and comprises dried lichen material. The vast majority of specimens are contained in small paper packets, while a few are mounted on large herbarium sheets. The specimens are chiefly from the British and Irish Isles, though there is also a very important collection of overseas material from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, and a much smaller number from the Americas. The Glasgow University collection (GL) is the largest with over 2,601 specimens, followed by the museum’s civic collection (GLAM) with over 2,379 and Strathclyde University (GGO) has 319 specimens. The collection is made up of the efforts of several important individual collectors, including J Stirton, W Mudd, J McAndrew, the Rev. D Lillie, W Gardiner and W A Leighton, P Topham and museum staff. The Stirton collection contains 499 type specimens (346 unique names) and is an important resource for taxonomic researchers
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