California’s newest state symbol adorns coastal oaks and conifers like a cloak. Birds pluck it from the branches to line their nests. Deer find it so delicious they’ve been known to fight over it. Scientists study it for clues about air pollution.
And now, California has turned it into the country’s first official state lichen.
This year, lace lichen joined the ranks of the Golden State’s 36 other official state symbols, which range from the California grizzly bear, the official state animal, to the saber-toothed cat — our official state fossil.
The California Lichen Society worked with Assemblyman Marc Levine, a Marin County Democrat, to sponsor the bill that gave lace lichen — a tangled, pale green organism named for the delicate nets growing from its tendrils’ tips — its new title. Gov. Jerry Brown signed it into law last summer, and it went into effect Jan. 1.
“We pushed this because lichens are widely overlooked,” said Shelly Benson, the president of the society. “Our main mission was really to create more awareness about lichens and their role in the ecosystem.”
Lace lichen was a good candidate for its new lofty status because it occurs along the entire California coast, up to about 130 miles inland, Benson said. Its distinctive, webbed appearance also makes it easy to recognize.
“Pretty much anybody could identify it if they were to hold it in their hand,” she added.
A lichen is a fungus fused with algae or cyanobacteria. The fungus provides structure and shelter, and the photosynthetic half of the pair — the algae or cyanobacteria — creates food from water and sunlight.
Lichens can look as variable in structure and color as plants — think of a patch of purple needlegrass (the official state grass) compared to a California redwood (the official state tree). Some lichens cover rocks with Dorito-orange or chartreuse crusts. Others rise from the soil as clusters of neon green golf-tees. And still others, like lace lichen, hang from tree branches as harmless, beardy filaments several feet long. Humans have used lichen for dyes and in deodorants and medicinal compounds.
California hosts more than 1,800 species of lichens, according to Stephen Sharnoff, photographer and author of “A Field Guide to California Lichens.” That diversity is due to the variety of conditions within the borders of the state, Sharnoff said. Different species flourish in the heat of the deserts and the fog of coastal areas, he noted.
Hardy though they are, lichens are at the mercy of their environment, said Sarah Jovan, the national lichen indicator adviser for the U.S. Forest Service. Because lichens don’t have roots, they get the nutrients they need by sucking them out of the air — and sometimes they soak up pollutants, too.
Motor vehicle emissions and agricultural byproducts — fertilizers and animal waste — are pumping nitrogen into the atmosphere and throwing ecosystems out of balance, Jovan said. Because lichen species react differently to an abundance of nitrogen, the list of lichens growing in a particular place can indicate the level of nitrogen pollution.
“You start dumping a bunch of nitrogen in a forest area, you’re going to see some species rocking out and some dropping off,” Jovan said. “If you raise it too much, you start wiping out certain species, like lace lichen.”
Lichen surveys conducted by the Forest Service between the Bay Area and Carmel Valley about 15 years ago were dominated by nitrogen-loving species, suggesting high levels of air pollution, particularly in urban centers. In 2014, Benson re-established long-term monitoring of lichens in Marin County, Sonoma County and the East Bay to keep track of future changes in air quality.
Lace lichen thrives along undeveloped areas of the Central Coast. Lichen experts suggest looking for it hanging from oaks and conifers in coastal river valleys between Point Reyes and the Carmel Valley.
This is a good time of year to look for lichens, Sharnoff said. Damp winter weather intensifies their colors, making them stand out against the landscape.
California grizzlies and saber-toothed cats may no longer roam the state. But if you know where to look, you can spot the lacy strands of California’s newest official symbol.
Contact Emily Benson at 408-920-5764. Follow her at Twitter.com/erbenson1
symbols of the golden state
Lace lichen joins 36 other official state symbols. Here are seven of them:
State animal: The California grizzly bear was designated the state animal in 1953, three decades after the species became extinct in the Golden State.
State flower: In 1903, the California poppy was named the state flower. The plant also has its own holiday, California Poppy Day, celebrated April 6.
State fossil: The saber-toothed cat, an animal that sported 8-inch-long upper canine teeth, was dubbed the state fossil in 1973.
State grass: The seeds of purple needlegrass, identified as the state grass in 2004, were a source of food for Native Americans.
State insect: The California dogface butterfly, named after the yellow and black Rorschach diagram splashed across the wings of the males of the species, took up the mantle of state insect in 1972.
State marine reptile: The Pacific leatherback sea turtle was recognized as the state marine reptile in 2012. The turtles can be as large as 8 feet across and weigh up to 2,000 pounds.
State tree: In 1937, the California redwood was established as the state tree. Coast redwoods and giant sequoias are both considered California redwoods.
Source: California State Library
