Day 163: Several times as I've walked the loop trail at Tahoma Woods, this beautiful specimen has caught my eye, but by the time I've returned home, I've invariably forgotten about it. Yesterday during my "Intro to Mount Rainier's Vascular Plants" walk, one of my companions noticed it and put me on the spot for an identification. Caught out, I tucked a small sample in my pocket for analysis, but had left the camera in the car, the better to keep a good pace for the group. Today I returned to the site and discovered to my delight that in the short span of a few rainy hours, the lichen's foliose portions had not only reconstituted but had "bloomed" with apothecia.
The Platismatias are known as "rag lichens," and most are very soft and floppy. Platismatia stenophylla is no exception. The margins of its lobes tend to curl inward on themselves, forming channels. Pick one up, and you'll understand their common name. They are as limp as a wet dishrag. This species in particular forms graceful mounds such as the one shown here. It did require analysis under the microscope to determine that it was not the similar Platismatia herrei, but no isidia or soredia were present, confirming that it was indeed Ribbon Rag, and a new addition to my lichen research project photo files.
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