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.
Friday, December 30, 2016
Namesake Lichen
Day 78: Meet Evernia prunastri, namesake for the Christmas Faerie featured in yesterday's post. This exquisite lichen is notable for its soft, supple thallus, very pliable to the touch yet able to retain its graceful form without appearing limp. Its flexibility separates it from the Ramalinas when observed in the field. It is largely a West-coast species although a few have been catalogued from East-coast locations. Known also as "oak-moss," this lichen is used commercially in Europe as a fixative for perfumes. Its relative scarcity in the United States prevents its exploitation by the industry for reasons of cost-effectiveness.
Labels:
Evernia prunastri,
yard
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