What in the Woods Is That?

Play our biweekly guessing game!

Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.

Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).

Cliff Face Oddities

These oddities are draped across a cliff face. What in the woods is this?

Answer

The object in this picture is smooth rock tripe (Umbilicaria mammulata). Rock Tripe are lichens that are commonly found on rock faces with a 60-95 degree slope; any gentler, and the rock will host mosses instead.

Despite their drab appearance, many species in the genus Umbilicaria yield a brilliant purple dye. Check out our story about natural dyes by Allaire Diamond in the Autumn issue of Northern Woodlands.

Thanks to Jim Block for sharing this wonderful photo. To view more of Jim’s work, check out his website. 

This week’s contest winner was David Agocs of Lynn MA