The zooming image above photographed 2009-01-05 in Camp Helen State Park. The GPS coordinates are 30°16'15.80"N 85°59'32.50"W. Alternatively, see a large or small image.
On Dec. 5, 2008 I found a new type of lichen. Or an old type that has been significantly changed. The base lichen looks like the soldiers or jester type, but I found one white growth bridging to the powder puff type I call Cladina evansii. In an area about 6' square, there was a smattering of white growths on the scattered lichen. If not a growth added, it possibly could have been frozen or subjected to some trauma that bleached it. But I could crumble bits of it off giving the distinct impression that the white bits were an addition. It looked like someone scattered cement particles in the area. I had no valid conclusions, only wild speculation. I had not seen anything like it in the almost seven years that I've been here in Florida. I had never seen deer lichen before coming here, so I have nothing to compare it with.
This page (http://www.lichen.com/bigpix/Cprostrata.html) shows and describes what looks like a close match, calling it "resurrection cladonia" (Cladonia prostrata). It lives on sandy soil in the Florida Panhandle. When it dries out it curls up, showing mostly the white underside. When damp, it uncurls again.
Other views
See Cladonia with Cladina. Cladonia with other lichen. Earthstars (puffballs). Movie. Quick photos from January 25, 2009. Wet lichen composite on January 27, 2009 followed by dry lichen of the same view three days later. See luminous lighted lichen nearby, where I found more Cladonia prostrata on January 30. On January 25, found another new-to-me lichen (tentatively identified as Cladonia ochrochlora). See also related site nearby (7 miles west, close to Point Washington State Forest, Cassine Trail to Eastern Lake Trail) and in vacant lots on Lakewood Drive.
Adobe Flash 9+ required. If you don't have it, get
it 
(free).
If you need to upgrade, do so. To use, click on
the viewer controller bar, or use keyboard arrow
keys.
- Use the viewer control bar zoom slider and buttons at the bottom of the window to zoom in and out, pan around the image, or return to the default view.
- Use mouse. To zoom in, click the image. To pan around, drag.
- Use keyboard. To zoom in, Shift key. To zoom out, Ctrl (Command) key. To pan around, arrow keys. To return to default view, ESC.
Deer lichen site 4.5. Back to deer lichen.
