The Roman Villa in Żejtun

Today's edition of the Times of Malta reports that remains of a Roman Villa in Żejtun will be cleaned up and conserved. The following are some pictures taken in 2009 at this site. 

It is interesting to note that, in the course of about two millennia, yellow colonies of the lichen Xanthoria parietina have colonized most of the limestone blocks available, and only rarely are they found growing on the earthenware tiles. This is probably a direct effect of the materials' porosity relative to each other.

A collection of lichens

Lichens are a group of fungi that have, during the course of evolution, entered a mutual association with algae or cyanobacteria, resulting in a complex relationship that benefits both organisms and allowing them to colonize habitats which would otherwise be inaccessible to the fungus or to the algae by itself.

These habitats may range from bare rock to tree trunks; considerable variety is amply demonstrated even in a relatively small area such as the Buskett woodland, where all the following photographs were taken.

Caloplaca sp., a distinctive yellow lichen which covers bare rock

Ramalina durieui, found mostly on thin branches of pine (Pinus halepensis) and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

Another 'leafy', cypress-loving species

This lichen appears to prefer dead bark of the pine tree

A black lichen using rock as its substrate. The green growth consists of moss, which, unlike lichen, is a true plant.

A white lichen on rock.