Lettuce Lung
Lobaria oregana
Description: A large, loosely attached leaf lichen with broad lobes 20-35mm wide. Its upper surface is a light green, slightly yellowish, it is strongly ridged with deep indentations between the ridges. Lobe margins are frilly, no soredia or isidia are present, and its lower surface is pale brown covered with fine hairs and yellow bare patches.
Ecology: Found in cool humid forests, on conifers and mossy rocks, therefore favouring middle elevations; it is restricted primarily to old growth forests and appears to be on the decline, probably due to loss of habitat and dispersal routes between habitats.
Notes: This one was found in a primarily second growth forest, though mature second growth, with some old growth remnant trees, it was near the edge of Carlson Lake at middle elevation on the Sunshine Coast of BC. Unlike other Lobaria that turn bright green when moist because they have a green photobiont, L. oregana, along with some others, have a cyanobacterial photobiont and turn a dull green when moist. Cyanobacterial photobionts are favoured at middle elevations likely due to the temperature moisture gradients there. Cyanobacterial lichens are believed to be important sources of nitrogen in some forest ecosystems due to the ability of the cyanobacteria to fix Nitrogen form the atmosphere. Lettuce Lung, like Lungwort, was used by native peoples for ailments of the lungs.
Lungwort
Lobaria pulmonaria
Description: A broad loosely attached leaf lichen with 20-30mm wide lobes that are dull green above when dry and turn a bright green when wet due to its green photobiont. Its upper surface is deeply ridged with deep indentations between the ridges, bears powdery soredia or tiny wart like isidia (outgrowths) along ridges and margins. Lower surface is brownish and hairy with bare white patches.
Ecology: Found on coniferous and deciduous trees primarily at low elevations, very common along stream banks and other humid areas.
Notes: L. Linita is similar but occurs primarily on mossy rocks at higher elevations but may also occur at low elevations in humid sites; it also lacks isidia and soredia unlike L. pulmonaria. Lungwort has been used for centuries by native peoples and early physicians for a wide range of ailments of the lungs.
Lobaria linita
Description: This broad-lobed leaf lichen has a conspicuous pattern of hollows and ridges on the bright green, upper surface. The lower creamy white surface is finely tomentose and may be mottled with brown. Thallus turns brown when dry.
Ecology: Grows on ground over mosses and at the base of subalpine conifers, occurs in moist areas at lower elevations as well.
Notes: This one is easily confused with Lobaria pulmonaria but lacks soredia and isidia and is generally found on mossy rocks at higher elevations but where humidity is high they can be found at lower elevations, as this one was, found in Sechelt, BC, March 2003.
Waxpaper Lichen
Parmelia sulcata
Description: Medium sized rag lichen with narrow 1-3mm wide lobes, upper surface is pale greyish, bearing tiny soredia (powdery balls) in long narrow cracks, lower surface is black with numerous rhizines (holdfasts).
Ecology: This is a very common lichen usually found on trees but sometimes on rocks, it is common at all forested elevations and is often very abundant and widespread.
Notes: This picture was taken at higher elevation, the lichen was completely covering all of the branches of a small Mountain Hemlock Tree, at the edge of Carlson lake, May 2001.
Ragbag
Platismatia glauca
Description: Loosely attached leaf lichen, lacking rhizines. Its 10-20mm wide lobes are pale blue-green or greyish above and white or black below. Its frilly margins bear soredia or isidia. Ragbag is a highly variable species and has many look-alikes.
Ecology: Very common on trees in open or shady forests at all forested elevations. It is widespread in North America and is found on every continent except Antarctica, suggesting it may be of an ancient evolutionary line.
Notes: P. norvegica is similar but its margins are not frilly and it has a much more wrinkled upper surface; P herrei is common in coastal localities only, being restricted to the west coast, its lobes are thinner and it has some rhizines on its lower mottled white to brown or black lower surface.
Cetraria Orbata
Description: Description: Loose leaf lichen with ‘torn’ looking 1-5mm wide lobes, medium sized to 5cm or more in diameter, light green to darker olive brown, lower surface is whitish or pale brown, moderate rhizinate, no soredia or isidia.
Ecology: Found on the bark and wood of mostly conifers, but occasionally deciduous, found from BC to California in areas of coastal influence.
Notes:Lichen tends to be lighter in the forest and darker on exposed sites where it may also resemble C. platyphylla but can be distinguished by the latter’s very dark lower surface, warty upper surface and lack of rhizines. This windfall was found in a moist mature forest at Homesite Creek in April 2005.
