Letharia Vulpina

Day 235: When you're standing a good 15 crow-flight miles west of the Cascade Crest looking at a specimen of Letharia vulpina and the trees around you have no sign of the lichen on their bark or boughs, the word which springs immediately to mind is "transport." How did it get there, only 10 feet from the roadway? I have only observed this lichen from the Crest eastward, and although it is on the master list of lichens which occur in the Park, I don't know where any herbarium specimens may have been collected. You'd think that in an area where the snow is still receding, you might see other bits around it in the pockets of debris accumulation. There were none. One reasonable theory would be that it was carried to the location on a snowplow blade, hitchhiking until it broke free and was cast off to the side. There is plenty of evidence suggesting this method works as a means of seed-dispersal for vascular plants. Needless to say, I'll be paying closer attention to the trees above this particular section of Stevens Canyon Road from now on. If it's there, I'll find it.

How Invasives Transport

Day 294: While we're on the subject of invasive and introduced species, I'd like to present an example of the process in action. While working on my Nisqually Land Trust site yesterday, I picked up litter and removed several old tires to a location where they are out of sight to await pickup by another crew. I had to walk through grass and weeds to reach the "drop" about 25 feet from the roadside. In the process, my clothing and shoes gathered an abundance of seeds, including those of Cleavers (Galium aparine). It is easy to see why Cleavers got its common name. The seed capsule is a round 1/8" burr covered in tiny hooks. While grass seeds can be rubbed out of socks and off trouser legs, Cleavers requires a painstaking, one-by-one removal. It took me twenty minutes to de-seed myself before going home.