Gibraltar Rock Time
I hiked the trail from the west end of Paul Lake to the top of Gibraltar Rock and back. The approach to the top of the bluff is a steep winding trail from the north. The final section is a rocky area with big trees and a mossy forest on the north-facing slopes.
I spotted rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera oblongifolia), kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and alumroot (Heuchera sp.) among the mosses.
Mosses covered the rock and anything on the ground. There was a variety of mosses, all in good shape even after a summer of drought. Some were readily identifiable, some more difficult to id. There was some stairstep moss (Hylocomium splendens), rough goose neck moss (Hylocomiadelphus triquetrus) , forkmoss (Dicarnum), and red-stemmed feather moss (Pleurozium schreberi). Growing among the mosses were some shield lichens (Platismatia), and freckled pelt lichen (Peltigera aphthosa).
Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption/Id.
Some of the identifications are tentative and if you would like to suggest something different, please comment.
We will be back out to investigate more lichens and mosses over the fall months.
Awesome Doug. I enjoy seeing these mosses and lichen on walks too, subtle diversity in the greens that grow close to the ground.