Platismatia Duo

Day 55: If I'd been conducting a lichen walk, I couldn't have asked for a better demonstration of two species of Rag Lichen. A piece of Ribbon Rag (Platismatia stenophylla) had dropped on the trail right beside a similarly-sized hunk of Ragbag (P. glauca), forming a textbook comparison without the slightest rearrangment by me. At first glance, P. stenophylla could be taken for P. herrei (Tattered Rag) which also occurs in the Park, but herrei exhibits soredia and isidia (reproductive structures) on its lobes. As a general rule, Platismatias tend to have a soft, limp feel when handled, hence the word "rag" in so many of their common names. In particular, Platismatia glauca takes on a pink tinge as it ages, making it look even more like a soppy old dishrag.