Heralding A Good Year

Day 80: If I believed in omens and portents, I'd say 2016 was going to be a good year. It's off to a good start, anyway. Of course we're paying for the scenery by turning up our thermostats and buying new winter woollies, but for my nickel, I'd say it's worth it. The only problem is that I want to be Up There, and the snow is keeping me Down Here unless I'm working. I don't like to drive on icy roads, not even to get to a trailhead. All that aside, I do hope to get out snowshoeing this winter. The Mountain is calling, and I can never resist that for long.

Aptly Named "Sunburst"

Day 19: While a lot of lichens have some rather strange common names (Frog Pelt, Ticker-tape, Volcano, Deflated Tube), the logic behind "Sunburst" is obvious. Its Latin nomenclature reflects its colour and abundant apothecia: Xanthoria polycarpa, i.e., "xanthous" (yellow) and "many-fruited." It occurs farther inland than its cousin X. parietina, a species which in any event is rather rare on the west coast. Look for the apothecial disks which distinguish it from Candelariella vitellina (Common Goldspeck). Sunburst will be found on tree bark, Goldspeck almost always on rock.

Xanthoria Polycarpa, Sunburst Lichen

Day 237: Two very similar species of Xanthoria occur on the west coast of North America. Xanthoria parietina is primarily a coastal species while Xanthoria polycarpa (shown) can be found further inland. The two species can be quite difficult to differentiate when observed in the transition zone.

It is interesting to note that X. parietina is believed to have been introduced from Australia. X. polycarpa is native, and its range extends from central Alaska southward. The taxonomy is derived from the Latin "xanthus," meaning "yellow" and "polycarpus," "many-fruited" (referring to the abundant apothecial disks).

Xanthoria Polycarpa, Sunburst Lichen

Day 176: From the Latin "xanthus" meaning "yellow," the Xanthorias are a very distinctive genus of foliose lichen and, at least in the Pacific Northwest, are most commonly found growing on hardwood bark, generally in sunny, open locations. Xanthorias also colonize on rock. Their colour is striking, and often gives rise to expressions of repugnance in the uninitiated, on the order of, "Ewwww! What's that orange stuff all over the trees?" On closer examination, the structures of the lichen become apparent: a foliose thallus dotted with raised apothecial disks. Xanthoria polycarpa occurs farther inland than the very similar X. parietina, although both are primarily coastal species. X. parietina is not known to occur in Washington.

Lone Willow, Four Seasons

Day 97: The Lone Willow stands in an open pasture at the bottom of the hill, just off Hwy 161 south of the town of Graham, obvious to anyone travelling either direction. I'm sure most drivers notice it, but how many observe its seasonal changes? After it lost a major limb during an ice storm, I decided to make it the subject of a nature-mapping project before its graceful shape could be further altered by the elements. A convenient telephone pole allowed me to situate myself in approximately the same position each time I visited the tree, and a little cropping and straightening adjusted any inequities. These photos were taken in the first week of May, the last week of July, mid-November and today (January 7, 2014).

While the Lone Willow and I are friends of many years' standing, I feel I've become more keenly acquainted with it over the last year. I'd hoped to capture it in a snowy setting, but alas, when the snow comes to Flatland, it's deeper here and I do not venture out of my driveway.