Likin Lichens

Lichens are an arrangement between fungi and algae to create a whole new type of organism.  The algae provide the ability to eat the energy of the sun through the process of photosynthesis while the fungi provide the brawn and protection of a more substantial structure.  It seems to work pretty well for them both and results in some pretty interesting "plants" that make for some nice photos.

This particular lichen is called a lungwort because of its resemblance to a lung, especially green lungs.   The scientific name, Lobaria pulmonaria, makes sure that you get the comparison.

These photos were taken on the first damp and cloudy day after a two week stretch of cold, clear, sunny and dry weather in January.  The colors of the lichens and mosses were very vivid and eye catching and have since faded as the winter has become warmer and wetter.

I'm a new photographer so please excuse the flaws in my photos, hopefully as this blog continues, there will also be a noticeable improvement in the photography!  I can't promise anything and the writing is what it is.  These are lichens commonly called pixie cups.

So, there are probably lichens somewhere in this photo but I was mostly interested in the mushrooms.  I don't know what these particular ones are but there were a lot of them on the stem of this dead willow.  I was experimenting with the light of the cloudy day and am a bit of a mycophile.