Let's study lichens

Studying lichens involves a lot of this:






And then, back at the research station, a lot of this:


Thanks to the three leaders of this lichen-studying expedition, trekking across the Greensand Ridge with Shark, Squirrel and Tiger in tow, equipped with magnifying lenses of most descriptions, I can proudly claim that we are now lichen experts. Words like Diploicia canescens do not trouble us, nor send us into a hot flush.

Apart from that, I will observe that all the lichen experts were very nice gentlemen who all had very fine beards.