Smooth rock tripe forms large sheets (rarely, up to 2′ (60 cm) across), like aged curling leather sheets, on cliffs
and boulders.
Identification: The sheets are attached at only a single point
(hence the genus Umbilicaria).
They are reddish- or grayish-brown on top, and velvety black below. The top surface appears
greenish when wet. The large size and coloration are unlike other lichens.
Edibility: An hour of boiling is said to convert this
leather-like lichen into an edible source of protein, palatable by itself or when added to soup
or stews. Soak for 2-3 hours first to remove acids that, while not dangerous, may send you running to the
bathroom in a hurry. Even after all this soaking and boiling, you’d better be good and hungry—many
say it still tastes like shoe leather.
5/25/2016 · Andres Art Institute, Big Bear M, Brookline, New Hampshire
The green lichen is Umbilicaria mammulata. The gray warty stuff is Lasallia papulosa. They often occur together. · 7/23/2023 · The Mountain Trails, The Mountain Preserve, Belgrade Lakes Village, Maine
11/8/2009 · Yellow Trail from Pearl Hill State Park to Willard Brook State Park, Ashby, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)