Lichenomphalia Umbellifera

Day 142: You could be excused for thinking that this is a mushroom, but in fact it is the fruiting body of a lichen. Lichenomphalia umbellifera may be listed in your handy-dandy field guide as Omphalina, but that taxonomy is now considered out of date. Lichenomphalia is unusual among lichens in producing this type of fungal outgrowth. Most fertile lichens form apothecia in which spores are encapsulated within asci (saclike structures) as opposed to spores contained in basidia along the gill margins as is the case with Lichenomphalia. The thallus (body) of Lichenomphalia is comprised of small granules or flakes of the alga Coccomyxa. It can be seen in the photo as the pea-green crust on the rotting wood. Viewed from the bottom, the gills of Lichenomphalia will be seen to be decurrent (i.e., running down the stipe) and widely spaced, looking ever so much like a faerie's umbrella. This lichen is fairly common in the damp forests of the Pacific Northwest.