Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Hypogymnia Phys...Waitaminit!


Day 293: Hypogymnia physodes is a fairly common lichen in the Pacific Northwest. Like other Hypogymnias, its lobes are tubular, and distinguishing the particular species sometimes involves separating the grey-green top surface from the black bottom surface so that the medullary ceiling can be observed. A member of our Morris dance side handed me a small brown box containing a specimen at Monday's dance-out, and I recognized it immediately as a representative of the tube lichens.

Seriously, though...when Tink handed me a tiny package, I was puzzled. There was no special event to commemorate. What could it possibly contain? I lifted the lid and found this darling lichen pendant which she had picked up at a craft fair. "I knew you had to have it, Crow," she said. If not H. physodes (shown here growing on a fir tree in my yard), it is certainly a member of the genus and as such, is destined to become one of my favourite pieces of jewelry. Thank you, Tink!

No comments:

Post a Comment