Newfound lichen species named for Obama

MSNBC ^ | 4/17/09 | staff

[pissant]

A newly discovered species of lichen — a plant-like growth that looks like moss or a dry leaf — has been named after President Obama.

Kerry Knudsen, lichen curator of the University of California, Riverside Herbarium, discovered the species in 2007 while doing a survey for lichen diversity on Santa Rosa Island in California.

"I named it Caloplaca obamae to show my appreciation for the president's support of science and science education," he said. "I made the final collections of C. obamae during the suspenseful final weeks of President Obama's campaign for the United States presidency."

[pissant]

As fungi go, the next strain of jock itch would have been more appropriate.

[gidget7]

True pissant, but a plant like “growth? is close, it fits.

[Winstons Julia]

Lichens (IPA: /ˈlaɪkən/[1] or /lɪtʃ.ən/[2]) are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic association of a fungus (the mycobiont) with a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont or phycobiont), usually either a green alga (commonly Trebouxia) or cyanobacterium (commonly Nostoc).[3] The morphology, physiology and biochemistry of lichens are very different to that of the isolated fungus and alga in culture. Lichens occur in some of the most extreme environments on Earth—arctic tundra, hot deserts, rocky coasts and toxic slag heaps. However, they are also abundant as epiphytes on leaves and branches in rain forests and temperate woodland, on bare rock, including walls and gravestones and on exposed soil surfaces (e.g. Collema) in otherwise mesic habitats. Lichens are widespread and long-lived[citation needed]; however, many species are also vulnerable to environmental disturbance, and may be useful to scientists in assessing the effects of air pollution,[4][5][6] ozone depletion, and metal contamination. Lichens have also been used in making dyes and perfumes, as well as in traditional medicines.

[pissant]

A combo of fungus and algae does give a fairly precise description.

[Rembrandt]

Perhaps the next type of Spanish Moss or sucker fish (attach to sharks) should be honored with the Obama name - parasites all.

[gwilhelm56]

Why am I expecting this Lichen to be DEADLY to Humans??
Or at least Deadly to REPUBLICANS.??

[qwertypie]

Government employees are Dem pimps.

[StAntKnee]

I’m gonna have to check into an asylum. There can’t be this much insanity in the world. It’s gotta be me.

Swear to heaven. I gotta be dreamin this stuff.

[ducdriver]

Idiot. Obama doesn’t support science. He coerces all of us to support it.

[Semper Mark]

This lichen could be classified as a parasite, couldn't it?

Fitting.

[50mm]

Zeroism Ping List Because morons like Zero should not be worshipped! "I think when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody." —Zero "Americans are clinging to guns, religion and anti-immigration sentiment because they are bitter about Washington's unfulfilled economic promises." —Zero FR Keywords: zeroism, zeroworship, messiah Please tag all relevant threads with the aforementioned keywords. To join the ping list: FReepmail 50mm with the subject line: add zero. (Stop getting pings by sending the subject line: drop zero.)

[Frantzie]

Would lichen also be like pond scum too?

Yes, apparently it is.

http://www.durangonaturestudies.org/articles/111005.htm

And to think I did not attend Harvard on a Saudi Manchurian Islamo-Usurper Candidate scholarship.

I’d say Hussein described as pond scum is pretty accurate description.

[Paved Paradise]

He he. I think it’s funny. I wouldn’t want a lichen named after me.

[Linda Frances]

Not all government employees are Dem pimps. My husband served our country and then worked for the DOD. He's on the terrorist list several times over. (Has lots of guns, goes to church & believes the bible)

[rdl6989]

The idolatry continues.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Now we can apologize to the new strain of lichen. It’ll go something like this:

“For too long, arrogant and motile species have failed to consider the needs and aspirations of lichens, fungi, and molds. We also have a lot of remedial work to do with algaes. It’s not just a matter of recognizing bacteria and virii as co-partners in a world we wish to reshape to more broadly reflect the diversity and needs of a population seeking to transcend what I call “speciesism” of the religious right and other forms of redneck bastards. It is a desire to work, on an equal footing, with all the biodiverse life on the earth we share.

Now as part of this type of partnership, these species will also have to engage in some of the sacrifices we motiles must endure. To that end, I have directed the EPA to reduce our carbon output; which my scientist advisors tell me comprises some of the food material for our new partner species. However, I have also directed Mr. Al Gore to redirect 5% of the annual income from the new cap and trade exchange he will head as part of my new administration, to LMSSP, the Lichen and Mold Self-Sufficiency Project. I have also directed him to be certain that at least 70% of the administrative staff positions in this new bureau will be either slimebags or pondscum.”

In this way, and only in this way, can we be assured that lichens and molds will assume their rightful place alongside a humble group of motiles, secure in the knowledge that while their future will be not a walk in the park, it will be one of respect, dignity, cooperation, and opportunity.

Thank you, and may slime be upon you.

Barack.

[madinmadtown]

I want to know if lichen help contribute to global warming....and if so, should they be destroyed?

[Redbob]

Hey, I think I’ve discovered a new kind of scorpion under a rock in the yard - Can I name that the “B. Husseinus Scorpio?”

[Onelifetogive]

Newfound lichen species named for Obama

Is it late enough for some blue humor? Have all the kids gone to bed?

A lichen is ok for Mr. Obama, but I am personally a much bigger fan of that thing named after President Bush...

[Gator113]

Save me a room, please.