Wet And Dry

Day 139: These two photos were taken only three days apart, and they point up one of the issues lichenologists have to face when they're trying to make an identification. A specimen can look very different depending on whether it's wet or dry. Lobaria pulmonaria (Lung Lichen), a common species on Mount Rainier National Park's wet west side, is known for its bright green colour and the ridges which texture its lobes. However, when it dries out, it appears almost grey. A rain shower is all it needs to perk it back up, though. Moisture settles into the network on its upper surface and quickly revitalizes the algae which provide its distinctive hue.

Beak Rock

Day 138: As if dislodged from its place of prominence at the top of a story pole, the head of Raven nonetheless observes all who travel on Westside Road. It is not as apparent when going south to north, but walking north to south, the likeness always stops me in my tracks. A shaggy mat of ferny feathers cascades from the crown, casting the eye into mysterious shadow above the stony beak. I half-expect a quork of mountain-rattling proportions to come forth from this spirit's throat, though what I hear is a softer series of vocalizations made far overhead. It is an acknowledgement: we know that you, human, have seen and recognized our ancestor. We will go with you and keep you safe. My walks are frequently accompanied by ravens, but here, I am in a greater presence.

Thelotrema Lepadinum, Bark Barnacles

Day 137: Day before yesterday, my good friend Jean (former campground host in the Park) came up to visit and to take her first walk on Eatonville's Bud Blancher Trail. She also got a predictable introduction to what it means to go lichenizing with me, and served extra duty as penny-holder when I discovered Bark Barnacles on an alder alongside the Little Mashel.

Thelotrema lepadinum is not an uncommon species by any means, but you need a sharp eye to see that those tiny black spots are actually craters at the summits of lichenous mini-volcanoes. They do indeed resemble barnacles on close examination, but be advised that a "big" specimen will be no more than 1 mm. across. A penny-sized section of alder bark may present as much terrain as the face of the moon viewed through a 6-inch telescope!

Secret Falls

Day 136: I thought I'd give my readership a break from lichens for today, although lichenizing was what carried me to this spot. I call this little cascade "Secret Falls" because once the brush grows up, you really have to know where to take a 50-foot detour from the road in order to find it. It's tucked away in a concealed niche just off the Park's Westside Road, and anyone driving by would miss it. Even if you are on foot, the whisper of its passage down the mossy slope is almost lost under the rushing tumult of nearby Tahoma Creek until you are standing close enough to feel its spray. Little sun penetrates here, only a ray or two at the height of the day, casting ephemeral rainbows where surely the wee folk come to bathe. It has no name on any map; it's far too small to be accorded any official dignity, but I for one am glad to have been invited into its confidence.

Peltigera Venosa, Fan Lichen

Day 135: Mount Rainier National Park hosts quite a variety of Pelt lichens, but one I had never recorded was Peltigera venosa, commonly called Fan Lichen. This Peltigera is unique among its fellows in that it exhibits distinct, raised veins on the underside rather than the rhizines (root-like structures) typical of the genus. In fact, it attaches to the substrate with a single rhizine at the very base of the lobe. One of the easiest Pelts to identify, its bright green colour fades to a dreary grey-green in dry conditions. I discovered it along Westside Road while looking at something else, ironically only a couple of days after remarking to a friend that I had not seen it in the Park. There were only half a dozen "leaves" of this small species present at this site.

Needle In A Haystack

Day 134: Given the size of Graphis scripta, I knew that trying to document its occurrence in the Park was going to be a challenge. The only thing I had working in my favour was the knowledge that it likes to grow on alder (Alnus rubra). Kevin and I had spent some time examining alders up Kautz Creek last week with no success, so today, I hiked up the Westside Road to another location I thought might yield up my "target species." A deer was my only companion as I wove my way among Devil's Club and salmonberry vines, and I was just about to throw in the towel and was working my way back to the road when I thought to check the other side of a three-inch tree I'd already examined. There, threatened by concealment by bryophytes, was my prize!

These photos are the first I've taken since being given the go-ahead for a research project to document lichen species in the Park, and I don't have to tell you how jazzed I am at the prospect. But Graphis scripta was not my only find for today. Stay tuned! You'll see more in coming posts.

Fish For Breakfast

Day 133: At the second bridge along the Bud Blancher Trail, a grandfatherly man was encouraging a boy about four years old to climb up the rails for a better look, despite a highly visible sign prohibiting just such an activity. As I approached, he said, "Look, there's an otter on the rocks down there. I just saw him catch a fish!" That was the beginning of a conversation which was soon joined by another passerby, and one from which I absented myself as quickly as possible after trying vainly to set the record straight. The fact that the animal in question was an otter seemed to be the only piece of information the fellow had right. With half a dozen other salmon dead on the rocks below, it was obvious that they were remnants of the most recent "fish toss" conducted by the Nisqually Stream Stewards, fish caught solely for their roe, their bodies frozen for later disposition. The bridge is one of their primary dump sites for such carcases, a measure instituted to help restore the natural health of the river. When I attempted to provide the details of the project, the man rejected my explanation point-blank although the woman who had joined us listened with interest. However, when she asked, "Are otters rare?" and the man replied, "Yes, very!" I decided it was time for me to move on. I'd had a full dose of misinformation for the morning, and I wasn't even on the internet!

Taxonomic update: Lutra canadensis is now Lontra canadensis.

Generally Overlooked

Day 132: "Generally overlooked by lichenologists," says Dr. Brodo, and I am guilty as charged. After seeing a friend's photo of Omphalina umbellifera yesterday, I spent a sleepless night trying to recall where I might have observed the species, only to shrug it off as a mushroom. My mind's eye kept alighting on one particular stump along the Bud Blancher Trail, and indeed that was where I discovered this specimen of the lichen.

Yes, that's right...lichen. Omphalina is unusual in that it is one of only three North American lichen genera to have a basidiomycete as its mycobiont (fungal partner). In plainer terms, that means its reproductive process is carried out in a different type of cell than most other lichens. Omphalina's umbrella is only part of the lichen. The thallus (body) is the granular pea-green crust covering the wood. Those granules are tiny fungal envelopes filled with cells of green algae. It's no wonder Omphalina is "generally overlooked" and dismissed as "just a mushroom," not worth a lichenologist's notice!

Hypogymnia Imshaugii, Forked Tube Lichen

Day 131: The Hypogymnias are abundant in my area (even in my own yard) and more than one species frequently occurs on the same branch. Forked Tube has a couple of look-alikes, but these can be sorted out fairly easily by opening one of the "tubes" which give this family its common name. Hypogymnia imshaugii has a white medullary ceiling, clearly visible in the broken tube just left of the two apothecia on the right, less distinct in the tube in the "ten o'clock" position left of the largest apothecium. Both H. inactiva and H. heterophylla have a black/dark ceiling. H. inactiva generally shows more black as well, often extending into the upper surface from the underside of the thallus. H. heterophylla is not as regularly branched.

Needless to say, I didn't get much done in the way of yard cleanup today, what with damp weather and a whole raft of lichens brought down during the winter storms. Priorities...it's all about priorities.

Takeover

Day 130: "The Daleks have taken over Lichenopolis. The human will be exterminated! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

I am glad that I was not a child when the Daleks made their debut. I had enough trouble with the robot from "The Day the Earth Stood Still" plaguing my dreams. The Daleks would have sent me into permanent hiding. Even now, I find them one of the most menacing villains of the sci-fi genre. Many Whovians will argue that the Weeping Angels are more fearsome, but I do not find them so. A Dalek wouldn't even give you time to blink before wiping you from the pages of time.

A Positive Reaction

Day 129: Well, this was fun! One of the methods of determining a lichen identification involves testing certain areas of the specimen with common chlorine bleach. A positive reaction (i.e., a colour change) can be useful for differentiating species.

My sample was collected from a Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), the first clue as to its identity. However, I was not certain that I was observing a secondary interior exciple ring in the well-developed disks, a feature which would have solved the mystery in the field. The larger size of the disks seemed to rule out Trapeliopsis which is generally under 1.5 mm., but just in case I had a whole forest full of atypical specimens (not likely!), chemical testing was in order. Upon applying a drop of bleach to one disk, it turned distinctly red, as did the thallus when the bleach came into contact with it during a second test. Given that the specimen was taken from Doug fir and that it showed a C+ reaction in both the thallus and apothecia, I am confident in stating that the lichen in the photo is Ochrolechia oregonensis, Double-rim Saucer Lichen. Its close cousin O. laevigata (Smooth Saucer, featured previously in this blog) grows on deciduous trees as opposed to conifers.

Plants Vs. Zombies

Day 128: When it comes to the Peltigeras (in this case, Peltigera membranacea, Membranous Dog-Lichen), it's like a game of Plants vs. Zombies where you can't tell who won. The strange brown "fingernails" exhibited by this species are its fruiting bodies (apothecia). The undersides of its greenish-brown foliose thallus attaches to the substrate with holdfasts called "rhizines," rootlike structures which can be seen in the upper and lower right corner of the photo. Just when you thought the forest was safe, now you find zombies reaching their fingers up through a carpet of moss, waiting to grab you by the ankles.

In The Name Of Science

Day 127: Dr. Brodo says of Variolaria amara (formerly Pertusaria amara), "A single sorediate bit, when chewed and allowed to remain in the mouth for a few seconds, produces a very bitter taste that lasts a lot longer than one would like. Fortunately, the substance is not poisonous!" and since I was only 95% certain of my identification, I decided to do a qualitative test. I went prepared with means of mitigating the expected reaction, and can report that while ginger mints knock it out for 10-15 minutes at a time, the taste returns to haunt you several times before finally diminishing. On the other hand, peppermints made with artificial sweetener only serve to augment the bitterness. It is not noticeable at first, but after you have chewed and expectorated the "single sorediate bit," an acrid taste develops, building in intensity over a minute or so. At least in my trial, some numbing of the tip of the tongue was also experienced. Ah, the things we do in the name of science!

Red-Breasted Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus Ruber

Day 126: I stepped back from close examination of a lichen and in the tail of my eye, caught movement near the base of an alder in a shady spot on the Bud Blancher Trail. By the time my eyes had settled on the tree, there was nothing to be seen but bark and bryophytes. I waited. Suddenly, on the opposite side from where I had initially seen it and about ten feet above, a little red head peeked around the corner. I watched in fascination as a Red-Breasted Sapsucker backed down the tree, tail leading the descent. As I maneuvered into position where I could get an unobstructed view, my little friend skittered out of sight again, reappearing ten feet up just as before. The backwards descent was repeated in shorter increments and not as hastily, and although the bird kept an eye on me to be sure I wasn't up to no good, it was not to be deterred from hunting up breakfast. When I'd got my shot, I moved on, leaving Sphyrapicus to his mining.

Cladonia Coniocraea, Common Powderhorn

Day 125: My yard sports a wide variety of lichens, and as I discovered upon close study of my split-rail fence, I have a good sampling of Cladonia species. This is C. coniocraea, Common Powderhorn. It can be told from its cousin C. ochrochlora by examining the lower half of the podetia (stalks) to see if they are smooth or grainy (sorediate). The common name "Smooth-footed Powderhorn" tells you what to expect of the latter, and in the case of my garden, both species share at least one cedar rail. The tiny cups at the tips of the podetia are another distinguishing macro feature which help identify this lichen. It pays to take a closer look at what you may have in your yard. It may have more diversity than you imagine!

I've Taken A Lichen To You

Day 124: Only one problem...when I say it, it rhymes with "kitchen." But it's the thought that counts! Happy Valentine's Day to all my readers and lichen fans!

PS. It took quite a bit of searching to find a heart-shaped colony. I have yet to do the taste-test, but I believe this is Variolaria amara, Bitter Wart Lichen (formerly Pertusaria amara). Brodo advises, "A single sorediate bit, when chewed and allowed to remain in the mouth for a few seconds, produces a very bitter taste that lasts a lot longer than one would like. Fortunately, the substance is not poisonous!"

Ochrolechia Laevigata, Smooth Saucer Lichen

Day 123: Superficially very similar to Multicolored Rim Lichen (Lecanora pacifica), Ochrolechia laevigata (Smooth Saucer Lichen) has an even closer look-alike in its cousin O. oregonensis (Double-rim Saucer). Two features distinguish them. The first is less obvious: Double-rim has a second narrow whitish-pink band just inside the outer rim, absent in O. laevigata. Much more telling is the fact that Double-rim grows almost exclusively on conifers, and Smooth Saucer will only be found on alder, vine maple and other deciduous species. The disks of Smooth Saucer seldom exceed 3 mm. Those of Double-rim may be up to 1 mm. larger. Both species respond positively to chemical testing with chlorine.

Mice In My Mail

Day 122: "Love to eat them mousies! Mousies what I love to eat. Bite they little heads off, Nibble on they tiny feet!" The artwork was one of Kliban's stylized striped cats playing a banjo, if memory serves me correctly (it didn't...it was a guitar), and the creator's whimsical words have stood the test of time in my memory. They were on a checkbook cover I owned some 30-35 years ago, and sprang back into mind as soon as I opened the box today. It came from one of my best friends who just happens to go by the nickname Mousie. Trust me, I will have no compunctions whatsoever about biting they little heads off, but I think the tails (satin cord) are a bit thick to use as dental floss after.

Point, Laugh

Day 121: Here's a little Crow humour to start your morning off right...another one of those "things found in unattended cameras" from last week. Yesterday's contribution was a profile of George Washington at Mount Rushmore as viewed on a computer screen.

Earlier in the day, Kevin had suggested to me that we might stop by Kautz Creek for a short hike in pursuit of a specific lichen where Red Alder is abundant. I had declined, saying, "You'd be bored to tears with me stopping every five feet to spend ten minutes looking at tree bark," but the crestfallen look on his face haunted me for the remainder of the day. As we were preparing to leave the office, I reopened the proposal and he quickly agreed, saying that we should at least check the trees closest to the boardwalk. The end result was a 45-minute exploration of approximately half an acre of new-growth alder interspersed heavily with Doug fir. We did not find Graphis scripta, although we discovered several other species of interest.

At one point in our adventure, I had gone to examine a long-dead standing trunk some 15' in height and about 5" in diameter. As I rested the camera against the tree to photograph a developing slime mold, it snapped off eight inches from ground level and went crashing down. Behind a stump and therefore unable to see me, Kevin called out, "Are you all right? What happened?" I paused for effect, and replied, "Termites?" Indeed, the base of the tree was riddled with holes in the core. With the trunk on the ground, the slime mold was much easier to photograph, Kevin holding his cell phone to light it while I took the picture (bottom left).

Having a field day (literally) with a like-minded friend is not something I do often, and sometimes I forget how enjoyable it can be. Two sets of eyes are always better than one when searching for the unusual or rare, and the delight in discovery is exhilarating regardless of who makes the find. Perhaps there is no Graphis scripta in the Kautz Creek drainage. We won't know until we've surveyed every tree. We're weird and we know it, out there with our magnifiers studying bark with infinite curiosity, but at least we're in good company.

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus Leucocephalus

Day 120: I know my east-coast readers will find it hard to believe, but Bald Eagles are a common sight in the Pacific Northwest, especially along rivers and lakeshores. As I began my walk on the Bud Blancher Trail on Tuesday, there were nine perched in close proximity to the first bridge. The present gathering is partly due to a recent "fish toss," the return of frozen salmon carcases to the waterway as part of a habitat restoration project. Word spreads among these big birds when the food source is plentiful; otherwise, this section of the Mashel is normally the territory of one or two pair and their offspring. Both adults and juveniles were out and about, this youngster posing for his close-up to the delight of local photographers.

Penny Perspectives - Graphis Scripta

Day 119: At first glance, you could be excused for describing the bark of Red Alder (Alnus rubra) as a patchwork of white, grey and pale grey-green, when in actuality it is ash-grey to greyish-brown beneath a dappled surface. The motley coloration evidenced here in the "Pacific Northwe't" can be credited to a variety of finely crustose lichen species, among them the delightful Graphis scripta (Common Script Lichen). Its specialized apothecia (fruiting bodies) take the form of linear lirellae resembling pencil marks scribbled on a white canvas (the thallus of the species). Graphis scripta is the only script lichen common outside the southern US, and may be found on birch as well as alder within its PNW range. Presented here as a Penny Perspective, you may want to take a hand lens if you go hunting for it!

Pseudocyphellaria Rainierensis, Old-Growth Specklebelly

Day 118: The Bud Blancher Trail is proving to be a goldmine of lichen species from common to rare. Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis falls in the latter category. Listed in Canada as "vulnerable," it is found primarily in old-growth forest as its common name Old-Growth Specklebelly suggests. Its scientific nomenclature gives another hint as to where it is most likely to be observed: rainierensis. A closer look at the lower surface of the lobes will reveal tiny white speckles (pseudocyphellae) on a tomentose (velvety) base. Similar species for which it might be mistaken are Platismatia glauca (rhizines present) and Lobaria oregana (pseudocyphellae absent). Apothecia of Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis are seldom seen. While not a Life List species for me (I have witnessed it within the Park), these are my first good photos of the species.

Multicolored Rim Lichen, Lecanora Pacifica

Day 117: If it hadn't been for that Pygmy Owl stealing the show, this would have been yesterday's post. It too is a "life list sighting," the first instance of Lecanora pacifica (Multicolored Rim Lichen) I have found. In fact, it is the first of any rim lichen I've seen, and I could find no other examples of it on any nearby tree. It is purported to be the most common Lecanora on the west coast, occurring on a variety of smooth-barked deciduous trees. Its host in this case was Alnus rubra (Red Alder) and the tree was a lichen-lover's paradise, six or eight species all occurring within the bounds of approximately six square inches of bark. The largest of these apothecial disks was no wider than 1.5 mm.

Life List Sighting - Northern Pygmy Owl

Day 116: This was purely a case of being in the right place at the right time. I was passing through a rather dark section of the Bud Blancher Trail when something small and brown flitted across my field of view and landed on an arched branch of vine maple. When my eyes came to rest on it, I said to myself, "That is not a Pacific Wren. It's too big." Carefully raising the camera without letting the bird out of my sight, I zoomed in, but the woods was too dark for me to make out any detail other than a flat face and big eyes. Again, I remarked to myself on the size, saying, "Boy, if that's a Saw-Whet, it's tiny!" I had time for two shots before my little friend disappeared into the forest.

As soon as I arrived home, I downloaded the photos from the camera and enhanced them to bring up the light. Better to shoot dark and get detail than try for a longer exposure which would undoubtedly result in a blurry image! The next step was to refer to Sibley: nope, not a Saw-Whet. The raised eyebrows, the spotted forehead, the barring on the tail, and the slight rufous "collar" told me what I needed to know.

The Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium gnoma) is an uncommon species here. It is substantially smaller than a Robin (6.75" as opposed to 10"), but is stockier for its size. It often flicks its tail from side to side when perched, a behaviour which I noted on this occasion. Unlike many other owls, it is active during daylight hours.

Frog Patrol

Day 115: I'm of the considered opinion that frog-stalking is more difficult than it was when I was a youngster. Either the little buggers are more sensitive to ground vibrations or I walk with a heavier tread these day, but whatever the reason, I seem to instigate a great commotion of splashes in the bogs long before I've laid eyes on a single frog.

I heard the first evidence of froggy frolics in a ditch beside the Bud Blancher Trail about ten days ago. It could have been a stick or fir cone dropping into the water, but for the fact that the splash was accompanied by an unmistakable chirp. When I next had occasion to approach a known "frog hollow," I was a good ten feet away when half a dozen alarms sounded from amphibian throats, and all I saw to confirm the existence of frogs were the ripples among the duckweed leaves. My next foray was done with great stealth, leading to this photo and my first actual sighting of the year. There's not much to go on with respect to making an identification beyond "Frog," so forgive me the omission of my customary scientific nomenclature. "Frog" will have to do for now.

Platismatia Glauca, Ragbag Lichen

Day 114: Very common in forests comprised largely of Douglas fir, Platismatia glauca's limp, floppy lobes give it the common names of Ragbag or Varied Rag Lichen. Either way, the appellation sounds disparaging, but then those people who name lichens seem to sit up nights thinking of odd things to call them. I find this pale grey-green, lushly foliose species quite attractive. It has a tendency to fade to pinkish brown along the margins, the "art-deco" look translated to the woodland environment. If ever the faeries wanted material for ball gowns, they'd undoubtedly choose Platismatia glauca. For that reason alone, it deserves a better name than Ragbag.

Worth A Second Trip

Day 113: As soon as I got home from Pack Forest yesterday, I started asking myself why I had walked right past this delightful specimen without stopping to take a picture. I knew it was unique, just as surely as I knew that I would not be returning by the same route on the way down, and yet I did not stop. I even remarked on it to myself at the time, remembering that I'd seen it in Brodo and that it had cropped up in the same location as the Stinkhorns I'd found previously. At home, I took myself to task for the omission and resolved to put it to rights today, rain or shine.

In the political arena, a "mugwump" is a person who can't decide which way to vote. I think that term could also apply to Multiclavula. Brodo includes it in "Lichens of North America" because it exists only in cooperation with an algal species; however, he qualifies his entry by saying that it "does not really qualify as a lichen because its association with the algae, although apparently obligate, does not produce a special thallus structure of any kind." In other words, Multiclavula is somewhere between a fungus and a lichen, having characteristics of both which therefore put it in a different category than either. It is neither a true lichen nor 100% fungal. It's a mugwump. It can't make up its mind.

There are several species of Multiclavula known to occur in the US. The two Pacific Northwest species are indistinguishable without microscopic analysis, and even that is not always definitive unless the spores exceed a certain size. Unfortunately, the sample I'd tucked in my pocket went missing in transit.

Not Afraid Of My Shadow

Day 112: Unlike the groundhog, Pacific Northwesterners don't see their shadows often enough to have developed any regard for them other than mild curiosity. On the other hand, we go a little berserk when the grey canopy gives way to blue and white, and a great glowing spot appears overhead, so painfully bright that it makes us put on hats to shield our eyes.

I followed my shadow for several hours today on an eight-mile patrol of Pack Forest's 1000 and 2000 Roads, the literal high point of my adventure on the 2032' summit of Pack's Peak overlooking Eatonville. Although it was a bit chilly on the back side of the hill (snow was patchy), for the most part, my walk was very pleasant. I saw no other hikers once I'd left the parking area, but heard a deer bounding through the brush and had the company of two Golden-Crowned Kinglets briefly. I searched for Snow Queens and violets, only finding leaves of the latter, and stopped to check on a colony of Devil's Matchsticks (the only site outside the Park where I have seen Pilophorus growing). As the day lengthened, my shadow lost its verve and returned to hiding, suggesting that it was time to go home. Who knows when I'll see it again?

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.