Identity of Historical Lichen Specimens

Project ID: 23-JV-11261978-071

Federal Agency: U.S. Forest Service

Partner Institution: Portland State University

Fiscal Year: 2023

Initial Funding: $5,288

Total Funding: $5,288

Principal Investigator: Cruzan, Mitchell

Agreement Technical Representative: Jovan, Sarah

Abstract: While selecting material in the PSU Herbarium for the PNW Research Station’s lead isotope research, it became apparent that a set of 160 historical lichen specimens have not been examined for over 100 years. Mostly collected between 1881 and 1915, the specimens are potentially extremely valuable for retrospective research such as the lead isotope work, but their obsolete nomenclature renders them unusable until they are reviewed and annotated by a lichen specialist