Yeah, I've heard it too here, and in Michigan, and have heard people in
Alaska call it that too.
Usnea (Latin) aka 'Old Man's Beard' (just not as red as mine) is likely the
most common 'lichen' (Fungus and Algae growing in Symbiosis, NOT a moss) in
the world and probably gets called what ever is popular for the area.
In the USA, I think 'Spanish moss' is the 'Kleenex' name for anything that
is light green and has a hanging habit.
There are those who have Eco web sites that call Lace Lichen Spanish Moss
http://www.hastingsreserve.org/OakStory/LaceLichen2.html
What I'm not finding in my search is the physical distinctions, none of the
photo's are really close up, they all look rather homogenous, which I must
admit, before I became interested in these, looked that way to me too.
Old Mans Beard, like the Ramalina reconstituted with just a bit of water, so
if it is dry, wet it, and then take a thick strand and gently 'pull' and you
will see a thread inside. If it is white, that is Usnea aka Old Mans beard
and is a magnificent Micro biotical and anti fungal. Some of the other
similar ones are poisonous, don't ingest plant material unless you are
positive what it is. Usnea is the only safe one I know of, though others are
listed in some of the books, I am not familiar enough with them nor know
them well enough to certify that it really is a medicinal and not a similar
one.
Anyone interested in Poison Oak, know loads of data on that! :-) some is
gory first hand and in horrific detail too. Usually it doesn't bother me,
then I broke all my 'safe to work in' rules and darned near died form it. It
comes in some gorgeous colors and forms.......
-----Original Message-----
From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Jeff Keller
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 11:59 PM
To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [OM] Re: Isle Royale photos finally webbed out
I had heard the name spanish moss used in California, but that appears
to apply to something entirely different on the east coast.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_moss
-jeff
On 2/23/07, Scott Peden <scotpeden@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Funny you should ask, just saw some in Big basin last weekend and was
> amazed, something wasn't familiar with. If I am seeing the pic correctly,
it
> is flat rather than round like the Usnea, right?
>
>
> I'll ask my fellow docent, Karen, who is ahead of me on the Lichens and
when
> I get a response, I'll let you know!
>
> Actually I decided to see what I could find.
>
> Check out
> http://www.lichen.com/portraits.html
>
> and see which of these are your Lichen, since I can't get as good of a pic
> as I wished I had (and that these were even better, but they are better
than
> most)
>
> http://www.lichen.com/bigpix/Eprunastri.html
>
> http://www.lichen.com/bigpix/Rstenospora.html
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> Of Moose
> Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 9:24 PM
> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [OM] Re: Isle Royale photos finally webbed out
>
> Scott Peden wrote:
> > Then 'specs' I was given for Usnea was 98% pure air, at the HQ of Big
> Basin,
> > 19,000 acres large, the stuff is uncommon at the parking areas, but 1
> block
> > away it shows up and 1/4th of a mile away another lichen that requires
> 99.8%
> > pure air starts showing up.
> >
> So what's this stuff? Is the one on the right Old Man's Beard, Usnea
> <http://www.moosemystic.net/Gallery/MPhotos/Calif/PtLobos/Lichen/>?
>
> This is just down the road from you.
>
> Moose
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