Identification Practice

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Here are some resources for learning more about lichens.

Tools

Some sources here.

• Handlens 10x - 20x - 'Hastings Triplet" for fine optics. LED light a bonus for eyes of a certain age.
• Knife - for removing lichen from bark or digging out of ground. Brightness and size of lanyard may indicate # of knives previously lost.
• Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest by Bruce McCune and Linda Gelser
  - Best and complete guide
• Rock hammer and chisel - for collecting lichens on rocks
• Dissecting microscope - for smaller lichen identification
• Compound microscope - necessary for identifying crustose lichens
• Chemicals - quick simple chemical tests often critical

Websites

• Northwest Lichenologists - Facebook
  Join to connect with northwest lichenologists. Field trips and training. Forum for help with identification. Links to tools and other resources.
• Richard Droker's amazing photos of lichen communities
• Richard Droker's amazing photos of lichens by genus
  Flip through to get a sense of different genera
• California Lichen Society
  There's a lot of overlap between Oregon species and California
• Bruce McCune's website
  Learn more about Bruce McCune and his work here. Bruce is a fantastic science educator - take one of his classes if you can.
• American Bryological and Lichenological Society
  Their journal, The Bryologist, is free online.

Books

• Lichens by William Purvis
  Out-of-print (often available used) but great introduction to lichens. Can be borrowed online.
• Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest by Bruce McCune and Linda Gelser
  If you're at all serious about lichens, you need this book.
• Microlichens of the Pacific Northwest by Bruce McCune
  If you are really serious about lichens and get into microlichens (crustose lichens), you need this book.
• Lichens of North America by Brodo & Sharnoff
  Also know as "The Book", this is full of gorgeous photos.