The following was sent via email: Thank you for the Botany Photo of the Day. Although I am not a botanist, I find the posted images, descriptions, and links to be very informative. Keep up the good work. The recent October 25, 2005 entry was titled "Lichen Diversity". After seeing it, I ecalled a picture I had taken just three days prior at a local nature trail. I'm curious as to the types and species of lichen in the picture and would be grateful for any information you could provide. Thank you for your assistance and for a great website. Steven
Yellow to burnt orange species most likely Xanthoria elegans. Book (Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest) says it's widespread in PNW. And the pale greenish species looks to be Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia. Let me say that my knowledge of lichens is limited having only been taking pictures of them for a couple of years now (usually because there aren't any wildflowers in bloom:) and trying to identify the ones I have photographed, so I will certainly bow to one with more knowledge. The following page has a picture of Xanthoria elegans. http://www.bildungsservice.at/faecher/geo/Flechten und lichenicole Pilze/0098_Xanthoria_elegans.JPG And the following is a lichen page with the picture of Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia. http://www.fs.fed.us/na/durham/coopforest/stewardship/text/gilding.shtml http://www.fs.fed.us/na/durham/coop...phics/gilding_graphics/xanth_cumberlandia.jpg Again let me stress that the above are a guess at best. Harry
I agree with wrygrass on the orange one... The green one is more likely a Lecanora, probably L. garovaglii or L. alphoplaca, in my experience. There is also a picture of Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia at http://coloradolichens.org/foliose.html and the L. garovaglii at http://coloradolichens.org/crustgal.html, both on the ColoradoLichens.org website. The bright yellow one is apt to be Candelariella (C. rosulans is common), also shown on the latter link above. Click on the photos there for enlarged versions, unfortunately not as clear as I would like, but I hope this is helpful. It would be helpful to know where the photo was taken; doesn't seem to be PNW...
Thank you for the information on the lichens in my picture. It looks like I have some links to follow. The image was captured at the Cress Creek Nature Trail in eastern Idaho. It is a fairly arid, rocky environment above the Snake River. The elevation is approximately 5000 feet above sea level.
