Best Felt Lichen
Kaernefeltia merrillii is a lichen-forming fungus in the family Parmeliaceae, sometimes treated in older sources under Cetraria. It is a small, dark greenish-black to olive fruticose or foliose lichen with stiff, narrow, angular branches and short spiny projections. The species is an epiphyte of con...
Why this score?
Intricate reddish coastal branching and California endemism give high rarity and regional appeal, despite limited global recognition.
Scoring methodology
Peltigera rufescens is a foliose lichen that grows directly on soil rather than remaining attached to bark or rock. Its broad lobes have a gray to brown upper surface, while the lower surface bears distinctive reddish-brown tomentose hairs. It is frequently associated with dry, open ground and calca...
Why this score?
Distinctive reddish felt and dry-soil tolerance offer identification value, though subdued upper surfaces limit general appeal.
Scoring methodology
