Chaenotheca Ferruginea, See It?

Day 168: Hands down, my most exciting find from today's field trip to Deschutes Falls Park with the Northwest Lichenologists was Chaenotheca ferruginea, one of the "pin lichens." Can you see it? There's just one, almost dead-center in the photo: a little black "pin" sticking out of a tiny patch of yellowish-grey thallus. The diameter of the stalk would be roughly that of a human hair. From base to the top of the rounded capitulum (head), the lichen is approximately 1 mm. in height. Yes, you read that right: 1 mm. Not 1 cm., one MILLIMETER. I think I'm going to be spending a lot more time with my nose pressed right against bark now that I know what to look for.

For the most part, the experts were very helpful and took time to explain basic features of lichens to less-experienced participants. Most of the attendees were students in the field and had some degree of expertise. I felt that I fell somewhere between rank novice and "advanced beginner" because although I recognized many of the species as also being in the Park environment, there were a lot of others with which I was not at all familiar (the Ramalinas, for example). I could hold my own talking about Cladonia bellidiflora or Pilophorus acicularis, but I was completely at sea with many other genera. And there is always one academic snob in every crowd. I had drifted away from one group to assist with the identification of a vascular plant and stopped to look at a specimen of Usnea someone else had picked up. When a nearby academic identified it, I asked, "How can you tell that's what it is?" I expected her to say something along the lines of, "It's sorediate" or "The fibrils are forked at the tips." Instead, she replied, "Because I'm a professional." Needless to say, I moved on.

Taking a field trip with experts can have two effects simultaneously. It can be very discouraging when you realize just how much knowledge you do NOT have, but on the other hand, it can be a strong motivator to learn more when the professionals are willing to share their expertise. Thanks to the educators in this group, I think I'll be able to weather the feeling of deflation and will become a better lichenologist through their encouragement.