Foray lichens

Sometimes, I somehow manage to get incredibly, incredibly lucky. Today was certainly one of those days, a Saturday morning that found me trekking through various parts of southeastern Connecticut, from the Rhododendron Sanctuary of the Pachaug Forest to the wetlands of the Bell Cedar Swamp, with the hardy, knowledgeable, and welcoming members of the 38th A. Leroy Andrews Foray, an almost-annual gathering of lichenologists and bryologists. I was invited along as both guide and documentarian, and I took advantage of this assemblage of mind-boggling expertise to try to begin to learn how to identify and understand the often-overlooked lichens and mosses. Here are two common bark-growing lichen species, called, I think, Flavoparmelia caperata (on the left), and Hypogymnia physodes (in the center). The names don't quite come trippingly off my tongue yet, but give me time—and more access to these great and willing tutors.