Day 29: Pilophorus acicularis is one of my favourite lichens. It is a "pioneer," one of the first to colonize freshly exposed surfaces of non-calcareous rock. During Bio-Blitz last May, I set my group the task of searching for it as we hiked the Rampart Ridge trail. It's not easy to see, but once everyone got their eyes tuned to its dusty pale green colour, they began spotting it and soon had tallied quantities far beyond anything I'd expected. They also found multiple examples of Pilophorus clavatus, a related (but not as photogenic) species, often growing as a neighbour with acicularis on different faces of the rocks. A third species of Pilophorus reportedly occurs in Washington's Olympic Mountains. I have yet to observe it.
Specimens of the two Mount Rainier species seldom exceed an inch in length, and at the end of summer are often quite dry and wiry. However, the granular nature of the cortex latches onto even the slightest amount of moisture (dew, fog, rain), and after a few damp days, the "bristles" become soft and pliable again. A rock fully vested in Pilophorus strongly suggests a sylvan Chia Pet!
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