Letharia Vulpina

Day 235: When you're standing a good 15 crow-flight miles west of the Cascade Crest looking at a specimen of Letharia vulpina and the trees around you have no sign of the lichen on their bark or boughs, the word which springs immediately to mind is "transport." How did it get there, only 10 feet from the roadway? I have only observed this lichen from the Crest eastward, and although it is on the master list of lichens which occur in the Park, I don't know where any herbarium specimens may have been collected. You'd think that in an area where the snow is still receding, you might see other bits around it in the pockets of debris accumulation. There were none. One reasonable theory would be that it was carried to the location on a snowplow blade, hitchhiking until it broke free and was cast off to the side. There is plenty of evidence suggesting this method works as a means of seed-dispersal for vascular plants. Needless to say, I'll be paying closer attention to the trees above this particular section of Stevens Canyon Road from now on. If it's there, I'll find it.