Lichens at 5177m altitude, from Dolpa, Nepal Himalayas

In the year 2006, I enjoyed almost 2 months in the highland pastures of Dolpa to make study on caterpillar fungus. (Yarsagumba in Nepali and Cordyceps sinensis in sceintific term). The study was very interesting in terms I came to know about interesting features of caterpillar fungus, natural habitat, collectors livelihood and other socio-economic aspects. Overall, I enjoyed trip.

While I was in the Palma Ramana Pasture of Raha Village (two days walking distance from district headquarter Dunei), my local assistant Ser Bahadur asked me to climb the steep cliffs to reach the top of the area. He took me from short ways with lots of difficulties. Main problems were snow on the cliffs and stone falls after getting sunlight. In one time, we hardly escape with the falling stone....terrible.

Finally we were on the top. View from the top was incredible. I can see mountains all around. Soon, snowfall started and we were planning to return.  Suddenly, when I look nearby ground (in which patch snow was already melted) interesting lichens was growing up to this altitude. (See photo)

In many literatures (published and unpublished)  from Nepal, authors thought it as Xylaria species. (Ascomycetes fungus), but case is not that. It is Thamnolia vermicularis (Swartz) Schaer.

Hope, you have also noticed this kind of lichens growing in others parts of â country or the globe. Please, share the experience.

If you want to know something more about this interesting lichen along with other Lichens from Nepal please feel free to write me shiva.devkota@gmail.com

Have Fun.