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Xanthoria parietina under UV light
(mander.xyz)
Not sure how I managed to never hit this species with UV. I would describe the colour as a bright, hot, lipstick pink. I am unsure if this lichen is actually fluorescing or if something else to do with how the pigments show up under UV light - maybe @[email protected] would know. Picture doesn't quite do it justice.
Another fun thing about this lichen is its role in dying as a photo oxidizing dye (POD). I have not dyed with this specific lichen but I believe the initial colour produced is a nice pink/mauve, when exposed to sunlight the garment will turn a sort of grey-blue colour. Unfortunately, the effect is not reversible so doesn't act as a 'mood-ring sweater'.
Thanks for takeing the time to write this up, I enjoyed reading it. This is an aspect of lichen I hadn't really put much thought into before now. This sample is from my collection so I do have it with me. Its been in storage for a couple of months so I may try to re-hydrate it a bit before lighting it up during the night.
Always happy to talk about molecules interacting with light! 😄
I have some background is in studying how light interacts with molecules, so I probably put more thought and emphasis on these things than average.
That's cool! When keeping a collection, can you keep them alive for a long time dry?
I have only been keeping an herbarium for maybe 6 months but I have had good luck reviving them and viewing under the microscope. I don't know how helpful it is for the long-run but I basically take them all out, water them and set them out in the sun for a bit. The mineral content of my well-water probably isn't a fully balance diet for them so I am kind of just shooting from the hip and seeing how long that works. I don't have any scientific training so its all enthusiasm + trial and error. I imagine they should last a while, it can't be worse than the vacuum of space. If you are thinking about starting a collection I would work out a voucher tag system right away, its something I neglected to do early on and I'm kicking myself. I just use a little piece of paper and note name, date, location, substrate, etc. - not unlike a voucher slip you fill out during a bioblitz. One of my storage containers:
Thanks for the idea! That looks very nice, I like how the collection is organized in those storage containers. They look very well preserved so far so your well water + sun protocol seems to be working well. Perhaps I will too start a lichen collection!