Template:POTD/2012-04-06
{{POTD {{{1|{{{style|default}}}}}}
|image=Xanthoria elegans 97571 wb1.jpg
|title=Elegant sunburst lichen
|texttitle=Elegant sunburst lichen
|caption=The elegant sunburst lichen (Xanthoria elegans) is a lichen recognizable by its bright orange or red pigmentation. This species grows on rocks, often near bird or rodent perches. It has a circumpolar and alpine distribution. It was one of the first lichens to be used for the rock-face dating method known as lichenometry.
|credit=Photo: Jason Hollinger