4/29/12 Ravenna Park

Latitude: 47.668
Longitude: -122.307
Today I walked in Ravenna Park and observed numerous native shrub and tree species. The climate was damp with partial cloud cover. I was able to see numerous alder trees as well as douglas fir specimens. There were several accounts of bees pollinating salmonberry and other various lichen species. I observed Physcia stellaris and Pertusaria amara. Pertusaria amara was the pale-green/grayish lichen that I observed on a tree trunk. Physcia stellaris was the white-grayish lichen growing on a dead tree. The physcia stellaris was slightly concave at parts.
There was also a significant presence of Swordfern, Lady avens, and Horsetail. I am finding many of the same species around Puget Sound and it is becoming easier to identify native and horticultural species. I plan to return to Ravenna park as it cover an extensive area. As I was leaving the park I observed some sort of yellow growth on a dead tree. I though it as some type of fungus at the time. With some help from inaturalist and some research I was able to identify it as Fuligo septica, commonly referred to as Dog Vomit Slime Mold.
Species List:
Salmonberry
Spruce (Genus Picea)
Pertusaria amara
Physcia stellaris
Large avens (Geum macrophyllum)
Dog Vomit Slime Mold (Fuligo septica)
Western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
Sword-fern (Polystichum munitum)

Posted on June 3, 2012 01:49 AM by laurars13