Bryoria fremontii

The species is currently classified as Bryoria fremontii, although it is sometimes identified by the older classification of Alectoria jubata. Several different English names have been used for this lichen including black moss, black tree lichen and edible horsehair lichen. There are names for this lichen in at least 20 different indigenous languages in North America. Wila (wee-la) is the Secwepemc language name for the lichen. The Nez Perce name is hóopop and the Sahaptin name is ''k'ʷɨnč''. ==Description==

Bryoria fremontii, like almost all of the 23 other species of Bryoria found in North America, is a dark brown hair lichen that grow on trees (mostly conifers). Differentiating the different species of Bryoria can be difficult. The simplest characteristic that distinguishes it from the other species of Bryoria is that its main branches grow to be quite thick (greater than 0.4 mm wide), and usually become somewhat flattened, twisted, and wrinkled in older specimens. Other species of Bryoria usually have narrower main branches. It can also grow to be a lot longer than other species of Bryoria, and is the only species in this genus in North America that regularly grows longer than 20 cm (occasionally reaching 90 cm in length). It is often slightly darker in colour than most other species of Bryoria, although there is much variation in this characteristic. Soredia and apothecia are uncommon, but when they are present they are very distinctive, as they are both bright yellow. but in 2016, it was discovered that the difference is the result of the presence or absence of a basidiomycete as an additional symbiont. Vulpinic acid is both toxic and bright yellow, and, besides making the lichen poisonous, it can also give the lichen a yellowish tint. As a result, although it is usually reddish-brown to dark brown, some specimens can be yellowish-brown or even bright yellow. All yellowish specimens of this lichen should be considered to be poisonous. However, not all poisonous specimens are distinctly yellow. Often the vulpinic acid is concentrated in the interior of each branch, and is not apparent from the colour of the surface of the lichen. A more reliable characteristic to distinguish the poisonous specimens from the edible ones is that the specimens that contain vulpinic acid usually have abundant, long, yellow pseudocyphellae that twist around the main branches (these require a hand lens to see). ==Distribution==

This species is common in the mountainous areas of western North America, being found throughout most of the interior of British Columbia (less common or absent in the northern third of the province), extending east into the Alberta Rockies, and south into Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, as well as being found in Washington, Oregon, and California. and Russia. ==Ecology==

in freezing fog in the Okanagan Highlands In North America it is usually found at elevations between 1,200 and 2,300m, and rarely as low as 700m. Bryoria fremontii can be very abundant in some ecosystems. Researchers have documented up to 3291 kg of arboreal hair lichens (of which this species was a major constituent) per hectare in some areas in the interior of British Columbia. It contains small amounts of protein (2.5 – 5% dry weight) and significant quantities of the lichen carbohydrate lichenin (15 – 35% dry weight), which is digestible to some animals. As a result of its abundance and potential nutrition, it can be very important to the ecology of an area. Bryoria fremontii (along with many other lichens) is significant food source for a variety of different species of ungulates and rodents. In North America it is particularly important for the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) and the woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). The northern flying squirrel eats large quantities of the lichen, particularly in the winter, when it is often the only thing that it eats. This squirrel also uses it to build its nest. During the winter the woodland caribou in British Columbia and Washington survives almost entirely on arboreal lichens, and this is one of the species of lichen that it prefers the most. ==Uses==

Culinary use Like all lichens, Bryoria fremontii stores its energy in polysaccharides which are completely indigestible to humans. Nonetheless, this lichen was, and still is, highly regarded as a food for Salish peoples, such as the Secwepemc, the Nlaka'pamux, the Lillooet, and the Sinkaietk There is a report that among the Flathead of Montana, even the smallest family would harvest over 10 kg of it every July. It is theorised that these peoples may consume the lichen because when it is cooked with other foods, it may capture carbohydrates from these other foods that would otherwise be lost in the fire pit method used to cook it, increasing the carbohydrates by 23 to 122%. This lichen-collecting stick is called a txipmn in the Okanagan language. The species of tree on which the lichen is growing and the general location of that tree are both thought to be important factors for determining if it is the right type of lichen to eat, but not everyone agrees on which locations and tree species are better. Many people taste the lichen first to make sure that it isn't bitter, and some people choose the lichens that are darker coloured. and the Secwepemc use it for broken bones and for bandages. The Nimi'ipuu use it for digestive troubles, It can also be used as a pigment that produces a green dye when boiled in water, which is the different than most of the other species of Bryoria, which all produce yellow-brown to brown dyes. The Haisla use different species of Bryoria to make a black paint, and the Lummi use them to make a dark green dye. Several different First Peoples in British Columbia (including the St'at'imc and the Nlaka'pmx) traditionally made clothing out of it. Lichen garments were usually only worn by poorer people, as they quickly absorb water and are unsuitable in wet weather. The garments were made by twisting together ropes and weaving them together with plant fibre to form vests, ponchos, shoes and leggings. Several other minor uses and other Bryoria species take advantage of their fibrous properties. Various First Peoples in British Columbia traditionally mixed these lichens with mud for chinking cracks in houses, as well as using them as liners for moccasins and diapers, and as a predecessor to paper towels for a variety of domestic purposes. ==Culture==

Bryoria fremontii is featured in the stories of several different First Nations. Both the Secwepemc and the Okanagan Some Okanagan people claim that neither men nor menstruating women should come near a pit cook when the lichen is cooking, or it will turn out badly, and there is a Nlaka'pmx belief that a bereaved spouse should not eat lichen cake for a full year after the death of their partner. In an Okanagan story Coyote tries to catch some swans, but they fool him by playing dead. Not realizing that the swans are just faking, Coyote ties them to his son and crawls up a pine tree to get a pitch top for kindling. The swans then flew away with his son, and in Coyote's haste to get down to save him his long hair got caught in the tree. The swans drop Coyote's son to his death, and Coyote has to cut off his hair to get free. Coyote then transformed his hair into the lichen, and pronounces that his valuable hair should not be wasted, rather it should be gathered by the people, and the old women should make it into food. There is also a similar Secwepemc story. In this account, Coyote is marveling at how easy Spider can go up and down his web. Coyote is so impressed that he tries to copy Spider. Coyote climbs up a tree, and then tries to use his fur as a web to slide down. Of course it doesn't work, and Coyote gets stuck. Luckily, Spider comes along and frees Coyote. Some of Coyote's fur is left on the tree, and Spider proclaims that when the people come to live on the land, the fur will be this lichen, and the people will gather it for food. ==Dangers==

Bryoria fremontii can be mistaken for numerous other species of Bryoria, all of which look superficially similar. Although Bryoria fremontii is edible, most other species of Bryoria are mildly toxic. Furthermore, in certain areas Bryoria fremontii can contain toxic quantities of vulpinic acid, which is one of the most potent poisons found in lichens. ==See also==