Dog Lichen

A lichen (being a fungus and bacteria) of damp, poorly drained soils, often of low nutritional and acidic status, especially in shaded areas. Its scientific name is Peltigera canina. It looks like a curled-up leaf, having a surface colour of grey-brown-black but with a whitish-grey coloured-backing. Routine and appropriate maintenance work including aeration and a light sanding of the surface, along with scarification and a light fertiliser application during the growing season only should control and then prevent the return of this disorder in a turfgrass sward.