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, November 5, 2017
Cladonia Squamosa
Day 23: Sufficiently variable in form to confuse budding lichenologists, Cladonia squamosa is quite common on the west side of the mountains, most often found on rotting wood. A few points (or lack of them!) are helpful in narrowing down the species, if perhaps not the subspecies. Brown apothecia are uncommon, but if you're lucky, that will give you a starting point as will a dense layer of squamules (scales) on the short, squat podetia (stalks). These squamules dislodge fairly readily and often leave the white medulla exposed. The medulla darkens on exposure, so sometimes the lichen has a brownish tinge. Most diagnostic are the openings at the tips of the podetia (not obvious in this photo). Chemical testing is required to narrow down an identification to subspecies.
Labels:
apothecia,
Cladonia squamosa,
fence,
fencepost lichens,
squamules,
yard
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