A casual lichen foray part 4: Fruticose species
The fruticose species are those that live in three dimensions. No clasping of bark for these species or shrinking flat to the ground - they live large, stand tall, exposed and vulnerable. Which means that they tend to be more restricted in range or lower in abundance than their foliose friends. Fruticose lichens include shrubby, club-like, cupped, and hair-like lichens. There are a few gems to be found at Chickakoo, but you need to look harder for them. Here are a few examples. We'll see if we can add to that list on our walk.
Cladonia scabriuscula With tips branching like little jester-hats, these wand-like Cladonia seem to enjoy perching on wood or soil in humid forests.
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Other Cladonia species observed at Chickakoo include C. coniocraea, C. fimbriata, and C. chlorophaea.
Evernia mesomorpha Commonly called Boreal oakmoss. Scrubby and tough, this lichen grows in most of our forested stands and can even grow on rocks or soil in the right circumstances.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/262957080/original.jpg
Usnea species. The Beard lichens are definitely more sensitive, and in dry and urban environments, they stay small, making identification even more challenging.
https://static.inaturalist.org/photos/114788801/original.jpeg
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