Day 84: According to at least one source, specimens of this crustose lichen taken from locations in the Cascades and other inland areas have probably been misidentified as Mycoblastus affinis because they lacked the characteristic pigmentation apparent in Mycoblastus sanguinarius which gives it the common name of "Bloody Heart." It has been suggested that the lack of red pigment is typical of inland examples and indeed, I've sectioned several hundred of them with my thumbnail and have only found it in a few cases. The tiny (1-2 mm.) black apothecia erupt from a nearly-white crustose thallus and are quite common in the Pacific Northwest's conifer forests. This one was anatomically correct.
No comments:
Post a Comment