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I'd love to get a thread going about lichens that you think would make good official state (or provincial) lichens. I'm submitting a little writeup about my thoughts to the newsletter, and want to get other people involved!
Just some thoughts on potential species to suggest:
Oregon -
- Letharia columbiana? Iconic, name recalls the Columbia river, striking color, very noticeable, everywhere.
- Sulcaria badia? Rare, only a few populations, really interesting color and habitat.
- Lobaria oregana? Huge and weird, everyone knows the "giant lettuce leaves", named after Oregon.
Washington -
- Usnea longissima? Amazing, beautiful, everyone knows it, threatened.
- Bryoria fremontii/(tortuosa)? Important indigenous and wildlife food (not the tortuosa variant), everywhere.
- Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis? Rare, old-growth associated, can help bring knowledge to diminishing populations, named after Mt. Rainier!
British Columbia -
- Cladonia borealis? Cladonias are adorable, and this one is named for the Boreal forest.
- Alectoria vancouverensis? Alectoria have a great common name (Witches Hair) and it's named for Vancouver!
- Hypogymnia canadensis? Hypogymnia are ubiquitous and it's named for Canada.
Idaho -
I honestly don't know much about Idaho lichens so just went with ones with idahoensis as the species epithet ;)
- Esslingeriana idahoensis?
- Rhizoplaca idahoensis? Narrow endemic, endangered
- Xanthoparmelia idahoensis? Endangered
I don't have enough knowledge to suggest other states or provinces in the PNW
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