Canopy Lichens

Day 87: Winter storms do a lot of damage, but in some ways, they are beneficial to the overall ecology. Browsing wildlife such as deer and elk may find foraging difficult when the ground is snow-covered and new, tender vegetation has not yet begun to sprout. When winds rage through the woods, breaking branches and bringing them down to the forest floor, this puts another food source at the animals' level: lichens, and specifically "canopy lichens" such as this specimen of Platismatia herrei. It's also a good time for lichenologists who are too old to strap on tree-climbing spikes.

Until yesterday, I had only found examples of Platismatia herrei at one location along a loop trail measuring one mile in length. I suspected it existed elsewhere within the property which, as a matter of fact, has multiple small and interesting pocket ecologies within its confines. I was delighted when, not more than a hundred yards from my customary entrance point and well removed from the known site, I found this lovely globose specimen at my feet. That set me to looking more closely, and indeed, I found many more examples of the lichen along my walk. Herrei does not grow exclusively in the canopy, although that seems to be its preference at this location. It is commonly known as Tattered Rag, and is easily the laciest in appearance, at least here in the Pacific Northwest.