Melanohalea subolivacea

Melanohalea subolivacea on the trunk of a young White Pine (Pinus strobus) in a sunny field.

comments (8)

Christine Young

Lion

Gary, maybe I've already asked you this, but do you have any tips for learning to ID lichens? You seem to do it with relative ease. Any guides or websites you particularly recommend? Posted 6 years ago
1. Gary B
  
  Lion
  
  My primary source is Lichens of North America by Brodo, Sharnoff, and Sharnoff. Next is the old How to Know the Lichens by Hale. The best websites I've found so far are Ways of Enlichenment, Mushroom Observer, and Lichen Portal (aka CNAH). Another good site is Alan Silverside's Images of British Lichens. Then there are random sites that pop up with good photos and descriptions. A key I use for Minnesota lichens was the one written by Wetmore and maybe still available online. Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Lichens of North America looks like a great resource! Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Gary B
      
      Lion
      
      I do recommend it. They don't have every lichen in North America but enough for a really good start. And great photos and descriptions. Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Adding it to the top of my wishlist! Posted 6 years ago
      2. Gary B
        
        Lion
        
        It is the book that really got me to learn lichens. Before that, I knew about 2 or 3.
        
        Here's another but more devoted to MN: Lichens of the North Woods by Joe Walewski. There is probably some species overlap with northern New England. I'm going to order this one soon. Looks like a good one to carry in my backpack this summer. Posted 6 years ago
        
        Gary B
        
        Lion
        
        Looks like Wetmore's webpage has been retired by the U of M-St. Paul but I have a PDF copy and it has recently been put into book format which might be updated and include more species.
        
        EDIT: Just found a weblink: https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/156243/Wetmore%20-%20Key%20to%20MN%20lichens.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago
        
        Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Nice! I currently know about 5 lichens by sight, maybe less ;). Posted 6 years ago

The Brown-eyed Camouflage Lichen

Thallus: adnate to loosely adnate appressed throughout or somewhat raised at the periphery, foliose, up to 8 (-11) cm diam., lobate lobes: short and rounded, ± contiguous to imbricate, (1-) 2-6 (-l 0) mm broad, ± flat upper surface: olive-brown to dark brown, smooth to weakly rugose or pitted near the periphery, inward becoming more strongly rugose and often grossly so, sometimes with isidioid papillae or tubercles, these verging on true isidia in extreme cases; dull throughout or somewhat shiny.. more

Info 3 0

Similar species: Lecanorales

Species identified by Gary B