Analyzing Umbilicaria Vellea

Day 256: When lichens are dry, they are much less easy to identify in the field. That it was an Umbilicaria was not immediately obvious because the "belly button" effect is not pronounced in this species, but as I removed a sample, its single point of attachment became clear. With the issue of genus settled, the real work began to determine species. I narrowed it down to two, and then threw up my hands and sent photos off to a lichen contact at the UW. Under her direction and using a microscope, I was able to confirm that it was Umbilicaria vellea, a less common and smaller lichen than U. americana (from which it has only recently been separated as a distinct species) and more likely to be found in an alpine environment. A closer look at the rhizines (inset) will reveal tiny black granules which may serve as vegetative propagules for the lichen.