Umbilicaria Angulata

Day 224: Yes, I know this one won't win any beauty contests, but it is the first of its genus that I have found. It is a lichen: Umbilicaria angulata. Joe Dreimiller and I set off at 8 AM to hike up Rampart Ridge with the intention of giving one talus slope a more thorough going-over. We'd seen some odd Cladonias there during Bio-Blitz and hadn't been able to identify them readily in the field. On the way up, we paused to get photos of Parmelia hygrophila, and while surveying for other examples of that species, we discovered the Umbilicaria. Later in the day, we found this textbook specimen near the top of Rampart.

The Umbilicarias take their name from the fact that they attach to their substrate with a single holdfast. Although this lichen at first seems appressed, the lobes are in fact free of the rock, extending from a "bellybutton" (slightly below the center point in this photo). Black, irregular apothecia set in small depressions and a black lower surface with abundant, tiny branched rhizines clinch the identity.

In six and a half hours of searching under intermittent rain, we located three identifiable species to add to my Park database. I got GPS coordinates and better photos of some we'd classified during Bio-Blitz, and predictably found a couple more which I can't nail down. But the day was not altogether stellar. On the way down, I took a fall on a slick puncheon walkway, wrenching foot, ankle and knee in different directions. I wasn't hurt, but the knee is showing signs of bruising and my backside is going to be purple by morning!

Placopsis Gelida, Bullseye!

Day 177: Many crustose lichens are easy to overlook. At a glance, they might appear to be an inclusion in a rock face or a mineral deposit on the surface. For example, this specimen of Placopsis gelida (a "bullseye" lichen, ref. Vitt et al) could have been mistaken for a discoloured bit of quartz in a darker matrix when seen from a distance. Up close, the lichen reveals its complex form, brown cephalodia (wart-like structures) dotting the pale green thallus and darker lobes extending like fingers along its margins. Crustose lichens adhere tightly to their substrate material; it would be difficult to lift one of those tiny projections even with a pocket knife.

Platismatia Stenophylla, Ribbon Rag Lichen

Day 163: Several times as I've walked the loop trail at Tahoma Woods, this beautiful specimen has caught my eye, but by the time I've returned home, I've invariably forgotten about it. Yesterday during my "Intro to Mount Rainier's Vascular Plants" walk, one of my companions noticed it and put me on the spot for an identification. Caught out, I tucked a small sample in my pocket for analysis, but had left the camera in the car, the better to keep a good pace for the group. Today I returned to the site and discovered to my delight that in the short span of a few rainy hours, the lichen's foliose portions had not only reconstituted but had "bloomed" with apothecia.

The Platismatias are known as "rag lichens," and most are very soft and floppy. Platismatia stenophylla is no exception. The margins of its lobes tend to curl inward on themselves, forming channels. Pick one up, and you'll understand their common name. They are as limp as a wet dishrag. This species in particular forms graceful mounds such as the one shown here. It did require analysis under the microscope to determine that it was not the similar Platismatia herrei, but no isidia or soredia were present, confirming that it was indeed Ribbon Rag, and a new addition to my lichen research project photo files.

All In A Day's Work

Day 141: These are just a few of the lichen species I documented over a four-mile walk today. All of these are fairly common in the Longmire Stewardship Campground and on the west side of the Park. Top left: Stereocaulon paschale, "Easter Lichen"; top right: Peltigera britannica, "Flaky Freckle Pelt"; bottom left: Platismatia glauca, "Varied Rag" or "Ragbag"; bottom right: Sphaerophorus venerabilis (formerly S. globosus), "Coral Lichen." Each has a special mechanism for capturing and holding precious moisture until it can be absorbed into the lichen's tissues. Stereocaulon utilizes tiny scales (squamules), while both Peltigera and Platismatia have veined, pitted surfaces in which moisture accumulates. Sphaerophorus relies on its lacework of branches to retain even the smallest deposits of dew. Highly adapted organisms, lichens can survive protracted periods of dry weather due to their specialized forms.

Lobaria Oregana, Lettuce Lung Lichen

Day 140: Several varieties of Lung Lichen grow in abundance in the lowlands of the rainy Pacific Northwest. Lobaria oregana is one of the most common; in fact, one source states that in an optimum habitat, it may attain a biomass equivalent to 1 ton per hectare. This species can be distinguished by its unique colour and a lavish fringe of lobules embellishing its margins. Like other Lobarias, Lettuce Lung is pollution-sensitive, and thrives in the clear air of old-growth forest. Generally found on coniferous trees, it may also colonize deciduous species.

Wet And Dry

Day 139: These two photos were taken only three days apart, and they point up one of the issues lichenologists have to face when they're trying to make an identification. A specimen can look very different depending on whether it's wet or dry. Lobaria pulmonaria (Lung Lichen), a common species on Mount Rainier National Park's wet west side, is known for its bright green colour and the ridges which texture its lobes. However, when it dries out, it appears almost grey. A rain shower is all it needs to perk it back up, though. Moisture settles into the network on its upper surface and quickly revitalizes the algae which provide its distinctive hue.

Peltigera Venosa, Fan Lichen

Day 135: Mount Rainier National Park hosts quite a variety of Pelt lichens, but one I had never recorded was Peltigera venosa, commonly called Fan Lichen. This Peltigera is unique among its fellows in that it exhibits distinct, raised veins on the underside rather than the rhizines (root-like structures) typical of the genus. In fact, it attaches to the substrate with a single rhizine at the very base of the lobe. One of the easiest Pelts to identify, its bright green colour fades to a dreary grey-green in dry conditions. I discovered it along Westside Road while looking at something else, ironically only a couple of days after remarking to a friend that I had not seen it in the Park. There were only half a dozen "leaves" of this small species present at this site.

Needle In A Haystack

Day 134: Given the size of Graphis scripta, I knew that trying to document its occurrence in the Park was going to be a challenge. The only thing I had working in my favour was the knowledge that it likes to grow on alder (Alnus rubra). Kevin and I had spent some time examining alders up Kautz Creek last week with no success, so today, I hiked up the Westside Road to another location I thought might yield up my "target species." A deer was my only companion as I wove my way among Devil's Club and salmonberry vines, and I was just about to throw in the towel and was working my way back to the road when I thought to check the other side of a three-inch tree I'd already examined. There, threatened by concealment by bryophytes, was my prize!

These photos are the first I've taken since being given the go-ahead for a research project to document lichen species in the Park, and I don't have to tell you how jazzed I am at the prospect. But Graphis scripta was not my only find for today. Stay tuned! You'll see more in coming posts.