Gallery

Lichens

This section highlights a small group of visually distinctive and ecologically representative lichens that serve as reliable entry points for identification and comparison. Each species is common enough to encounter, distinctive enough to recognize with practice, and well-documented in the Gallery and Field Notes.

Common Greenshield
Flavoparmelia caperata

A large, pale foliose lichen of mature hardwood bark, establishing scale, lobe structure, and laminal apothecia.

Rough Speckled Shield
Punctelia rudecta

A broad foliose shield marked by punctate pseudocyphellae, introducing surface texture as a key diagnostic feature.

Hooded Sunburst
Xanthomendoza fallax

A vivid orange foliose lichen with frequent apothecia, anchoring color-based identification.

Powdery Shield
Physcia millegrana

A compact foliose lichen with a matte, powder-dusted surface, defined by abundant soredia rather than prominent apothecia.

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Rain Held Close
A quiet world distilled into droplets.

Landscapes
Aurora with Pleiades — Lakeville, MN: Red and green veils drift beneath the autumn stars.

Trees
Austrian Pine in Open Meadow: A broad, dark crown built for wind and open ground.

Insects
Hidden Lives Among Petals: A bumblebee absorbed in its work, unaware of the crab spider lying in wait.

Wildflowers
Seasonal bursts of color.
Ephemeral beauty along paths and prairies.

Mushrooms
Bleeding Bonnet — Day 1, Early Infection.

Field Notes

Field Notes
Seasonal observations.
Stories and IDs from recent walks.

Lichen Field Notes
Identification details, growth forms, and diagnostic features.
Species-level observations focus on growth form, surface features, and substrates, supporting accurate identification alongside the Gallery images.

Photography Notes
Equipment, tools, and techniques.
Cameras, lenses, and software.