365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Hypogymnia Imshaugii, Forked Tube Lichen
Day 131: The Hypogymnias are abundant in my area (even in my own yard) and more than one species frequently occurs on the same branch. Forked Tube has a couple of look-alikes, but these can be sorted out fairly easily by opening one of the "tubes" which give this family its common name. Hypogymnia imshaugii has a white medullary ceiling, clearly visible in the broken tube just left of the two apothecia on the right, less distinct in the tube in the "ten o'clock" position left of the largest apothecium. Both H. inactiva and H. heterophylla have a black/dark ceiling. H. inactiva generally shows more black as well, often extending into the upper surface from the underside of the thallus. H. heterophylla is not as regularly branched.
Needless to say, I didn't get much done in the way of yard cleanup today, what with damp weather and a whole raft of lichens brought down during the winter storms. Priorities...it's all about priorities.
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