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May 18, 2005 : Letharia vulpina
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Keywords: Parmeliaceae | Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue
There are two species in the genus Letharia (the wolf lichens), and both can be found in western North America. This particular lichen was found growing at the trunk base of a Pinus ponderosa near Merritt, British Columbia.
Wolf lichens are so named because of their common use as poisons for wolves and foxes in Europe centuries ago. The lichen, with its toxic vulpinic acid, was mixed with ground glass and meat, apparently a deadly combination.
The lichen was also used as a source for making a yellow-coloured dye, which is not difficult to imagine.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at May 18, 2005 12:00 AM
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Posted by: Luke Alexander at June 27, 2005 4:59 PM
A Doctoral candidate is doing a dissertation on Letharia Vulpina and is requesting help in obtaining samples from Western North America. For more information, check her website:
http://bio.research.ucsc.edu/people/goff/letharia.htm
P.S. (She has a sample from the Merritt area.)
Posted by: Doug Glass at October 19, 2005 11:19 AM
I'd like to point out that this is one of the few lichens that was actually recognized by Linnaeus. He named it "Lichen vulpinus."
Posted by: Susanne Altermann at October 19, 2005 3:52 PM
Thanks Susanne - I didn't know that re: the synonymy. I'll highlight your request regarding samples in an upcoming BPotD.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin 
at October 19, 2005 4:00 PM
The ground glass seems a bit silly. See http://www.snopes.com/horrors/poison/glass.htm for why.
Posted by: Maire Smith at May 18, 2006 1:43 PM
Perhaps so, although I've seen dogs simply gulp down food without chewing... Noted, though, that it does seem silly.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin at May 18, 2006 2:59 PM
Has any one tried growing this moss? Such a slow growing fungus, needing undisturbed rotted wood? I have difficulty finding it as well...
Posted by: Teri Rofkar at June 11, 2006 11:07 PM
Cool... I think I've seen this around but it says here that it's found in North America. I'm in American Samoa. Is it possible that I saw this lichen down here?
Posted by: Eleanor Choe at September 8, 2006 12:30 PM
Not really - it's far more likely to be something different. The worldwide distribution of Letharia vulpina seems to be restricted to the Northern Hemisphere.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin at September 8, 2006 12:52 PM
The ground glass probably helped to speed the poison to the blood stream, rather than waiting for it to pass through the digestive system.
Posted by: Xooxer at December 24, 2007 8:51 AM
I've tasted this stuff, it is bitter. It grows all over in Montana.
Posted by: vm at May 13, 2008 1:46 PM
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My dog died 18 hours after eating a small amount of this lichen. Beware.