I hope you're lichen these photos (i'm so sorry)

[urbpan]

Buying a new lichen field guide and then going out to try to identify as many as possible was amazingly humbling. I'm gonna need someone to hold my hand through this process, because it's more difficult than I thought. If you are good at this, I need your help--it might be good to know these are all on Great Blue Hill, on a wet day. Ready? Here goes:


Porpidia crustulata, Concentric boulder lichen.



Unidentified crustose lichen on rock.


Flavoparmelia caperata, Green tree shield lichen.


Xanthoparmelia sp.


Unknown crustose lichen on rock.


Possibly Arctoparmelia centrifuga.


Unknown crustose lichen on rock.


Unidentified crustose lichen on tree bark.


Unknown foliose lichen on rock (Peltigera sp.?)


Underside of the same.


Unknown crustose lichen on rock.


Unknown foliose lichen on rock (Umbilicaria sp.?)


Underside of the same.


Unknown foliose lichen on rock (Lasallia papulosa?)


Unknown crustose lichen on rock.


Multiple foliose lichens on rock.

Comments

[just-ann-now.livejournal.com]

Love the photos!

Are you aware of this blog: New Hampshire Gardens Solutions? He has a lot of material on lichens (and lists that guide as one of his references.) I absolutely adore his writing style - I wish he were my next door neighbor.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I was not aware--I'll have to check that out!

[allen norcross (from livejournal.com)]

Thanks for the glowing recommendation!

[calypso72]

Here's what Malcolm says (via email, since he couldn't comment here anonymously)...

Dear Jef,
Sara asked me to help you with lichen ID. I’m a southern lichen guy, so a northern lichenologist might be able to do something with some photos that puzzle me. For instance, the crusts in photos 1, 5 and 6 are mysteries (and I think you should be cautious about calling Photo 1 Porpidia crustulata, as there are several possibilities). So take all this with a grain of salt, but here are some possible IDs:
Photos 2, 11 and 15 are all Porpidia albocaerulescens.
Photo 7 is a Lecanora sp.
I think you’re right on 3 and 4.
Photo 8 is a Physcia, possibly P. aipolia.
Photos 9, 10 and 14 are Lasallia papulosa.
Photos 12 and 13 are Umbilicaria mammulata.
Photo 16 is of Lasallia and Umbilicaria together, and it took this southern boy a while to realize the white fluffy stuff is snow, and not a lichen reproductive structure!
Hope this helps. Feel free to contact me directly, mhodges1957@gmail.com
Yours—Mal Hodges

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Wow, thanks so much! This is very helpful and I really appreciate it, thanks Sarah, thanks Mal!

Lichens

[allen norcross (from livejournal.com)]

Your second photo from the top is of smoky eye boulder lichen (Porpidia albocaerulescens) You have several shots of this lichen here.
Your 9th photo is of toadskin lichen (Lasallia papulosa). You also have two or three photos of this one.
Your last shot is of rock tripe lichen (Umbilicaria mammulata).
It takes a while to learn how to identify lichens, but you'll get there. It's a fascinating subject!