Today I’m noticing lichen! Lichens are wild little organisms - not plants, but partnerships. Each one is made of a fungus (structure + protection) and an alga or cyanobacteria (food via photosynthesis), forming a totally new life form that can survive in places neither could alone. Some species even include yeast in the mix! They come in crusty, leafy, and shrubby forms, grow on rocks, trees, and soil, and are important bio-indicators of air quality. The fluffy one in the pictures is Usnea, aka “Old Man’s Beard” - a lichen I know well. It’s famous for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties and has a long history of use in herbal medicine. The other one MIGHT be Parmotrema perlatum (I’m hoping), though I haven’t confirmed the ID yet. It looks very similar to a few related species, so this is a hopeful guess for now. If it is Parmotrema perlatum, it’s especially cool - it’s known as black stone flower or kalpasi and is used as a spice in Indian cuisine. It grows throughout temperate regions in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and shows up in dishes like biryani, goat stews, nahari, and other recipes. Any of y’all ever use lichen as a medicine or a spice before? 🍄💚