Rock Tripe

The pale greenish-brown ear-like lichen in today's photograph is called smooth rock tripe (Umbilicaria mammulata). The growth form of this rock-tripe is umbilicate, which is a type of foliose (leaf-like) growth form. Umbilicate lichens are usually attached to the substrate (usually rock), at a single point roughly in the center of the thallus (body), suggesting the way the canopy of an umbrella is attached to the stem. Smooth rock tripe is common on sandstone in the Allegheny Mountains, and is easy to find at WPC's Bear Run Nature Reserve. This species is among the largest lichens in the world. One found in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee measured 63 cm (25 inches) across.

Can you identify the fern in the background of the photo? Email the correct answer to sgrund@paconserve.org and you may win Steve Grund's voice on your home answering machine! The winner will be chosen at random from among the thousands of correct answers we expect from among the millions of entries.

Today's photo by WPC Botanist Steve Grund.

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