Day 240: Frog Pelt in any of its various color forms is one of my favorite lichens. Today while on a work party in the Park (Mount Rainier), I discovered a wonderful colony of it growing at the base of a tree near the spot where I've previously photographed Calypso Orchids. Its Latin name "neopolydactyla" refers to the "new many fingered" apothecia common to the species, fingers which look almost as if they're wearing nail polish. Frog Pelt is an environmental indicator. It is sensitive to air pollution and only grows where there are low concentrations of pollutants.
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