Day 125: Just to demonstrate how confusing lichen identification can be, here is another specimen of Ochrolechia laevigata with disks exhibiting the double-rim structure characteristic of closely related O. oregonensis. However, O. oregonensis occurs only on conifer bark, O. laevigata on deciduous species. The substrate here is vine maple (Acer circinatum), a species which frequently hosts this common lichen. It may also appear on alder and cottonwood. It's fortunate that I found this specimen on a living tree. If the bark had been detached, I might have drawn the wrong conclusion.
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