Chamaenerion Latifolium, Broad-Leaf Fireweed

Day 294: The tall flowering stems of Fireweed will be recognizable to almost any resident of western Washington, but most people will be unaware that there is more than one species of Chamaenerion (formerly Epilobium) in the state. Chamaenerion latifolium (Broad-Leaf Fireweed, above) is a significantly shorter plant, more compact in nature, and its flowers are frequently larger and more robust than those of its cousin. Like Chamaenerion angustifolium, its seed pods (siliques) are long and slender, bursting to release seeds when they become dry. The seeds are borne aloft on fluffy white parachutes and may travel for miles before separating and dropping to the earth. In order for the tiny seeds to germinate, they must be scarified by fire to weaken the outer layer, hence the common name. Fireweed is often found in clear-cuts which have been deliberately burned over, a pioneer species whose eventual deterioration will contribute to a soil base in which other vascular plants can take root.

A Pile Of Matchsticks

Day 111: It makes me feel good to know that at least some of my readers are enjoying my lichen posts. In fact, one of them expressed an interest in seeing Devil's Matchstick, and since this species is a personal favourite, I'm glad to oblige.

Pilophorus acicularis is a "pioneer" lichen. It prefers to colonize freshly exposed non-calcareous rock, and in so doing, contributes to its breakdown. It is also a nitrogen-fixer. The podetia (stalks) are thread-like, usually no more than an inch long, and are topped by shiny black apothecia (fruiting bodies). This particular colony is lush, growing on the vertical face of a boulder broken during road construction ("freshly exposed" is a relative term...the road was cut years ago). It is one of two species of Pilophorus I've found in Longmire. A handy snowbank served as my tripod for this shot, but you'll have to take my word on the size. There was nowhere to mount my penny-on-a-stick to give perspective. However, if you look in the upper left quadrant, you can see two brown fir needles for comparison.

Pilophorus Clavatus, Tapered Matchstick Lichen

Day 15: How many times have I walked around the Trail of the Shadows, my eyes sweeping the surrounding area for rare and elusive species? How many times have I gone right past this particular rock, never seeing what was waving to me from its nearly bald pate? If I had not been searching for one particular solitary mushroom, only to be distracted from my task by another lichen nearby, I would not have been bent over at the right angle to the light or in the proper position to spot these minuscule and sparsely distributed threads.

This, dear readers, is a cousin to my favourite lichen (Pilophorus acicularis). It is Pilophorus clavatus, also known as Tapered Matchstick, common nomenclature derived from the "burnt" appearance of its apothecia. The tallest of these little buggers is only about three-quarters of an inch long, and you'd have to cluster four or five of the stalks to approximate the diameter of the lead in a pencil. We're talking TINY, and of course perfectly camouflaged against the rock. Like P. acicularis, Tapered Matchstick is a "pioneer" lichen, growing only on freshly exposed, non-calcareous rock. It is much less common than P. acicularis, occurs at higher elevations, and is more tolerant of deep shade. All of the Pilophorus species are nitrogen-fixers, a biological advantage if you're going to grow on "bare" rock or in poor soil.

Once I'd got this specimen in my photographic "bag," I spent some time looking for any other Pilophorus-supporting rocks in the vicinity. Nope, no luck, but now I'm on high alert. If they're out there, I'll find them.

Stalking The Wild Pilophorus

Day 150: Rather than taking a longer walk, I spent a large portion of my lunch break scrutinizing every square inch of exposed rock alongside the road between the Longmire housing area and the Community Building today and discovered to my great delight many more well-established colonies of Pilophorus acicularis. This uncommon species has taken over as my new favourite lichen. Oddly, I found none at all on the north side of the bridge; apparently the substrate there is already sufficiently developed for second-growth species like Cladonia and Stereocaulon to take hold.

I'm certain that if anyone had driven by, they might have wondered what I was so intent on photographing. I think I need a bumper sticker for my car: "Easily distracted by lichens."

Longmire Pioneers

Day 144: Humans can't claim to be the only pioneers to have occupied Longmire. Pilophorus acicularis ("Devil's Matchstick") is a "pioneer" lichen, one of the first to colonize freshly exposed rock surfaces. Chemicals within the structure of many lichens contribute to soil formation by causing certain minerals in rock to become more soluble. Subsequently when the lichen dies, its decaying organic matter accumulates in the pits and cracks it has helped to create, forming a substrate for the next species to colonize. An uncommon lichen, Pilophorus acicularis is also a nitrogen-fixer, much like the legumes of agricultural fame (peas, alfalfa, etc.). This factor is what gives it an advantage over other lichens which cannot establish on bare rock.