Letharia vulpina

species

“Wolf Lichen”

Wolf lichen, also known as Letharia vulpina, is a type of lichen that is found in the Western United States and Europe. It is a fruticose lichen, meaning that it has a shrubby or bushy growth form, and it grows on the bark of conifers. Wolf lichen has a distinctive yellow-green color and a branching, bushy shape that can be quite eye-catching.

Color

Yellow

Your Checklist

You have noted 0 Letharia vulpina

Learn How to Take A Field Note

Toxicity

Wolf lichen is unique in that it contains a toxic chemical called vulpinic acid, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if ingested. Historically, some Native American tribes used wolf lichen to poison wolves, which is how the lichen got its common name.

On the Web

On Wikipedia

Letharia vulpina, commonly known as the wolf lichen (although the species name vulpina, from vulpine relates to the fox), is a fruticose lichenized species of fungus in the family Parmeliaceae. It is bright yellow-green, shrubby and highly branched, and grows on the bark of living and dead conifers in parts of western and continental Europe, the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains of Western North America. This species is somewhat toxic to mammals due to the yellow pigment vulpinic acid, and has been used historically as a poison for wolves and foxes. It has also been used traditionally by many native North American ethnic groups as a pigment source for dyes and paints.