THE OMLA – A GREAT SUCCESS
The primary mission of the OMLA is to add to the knowledge of lichen and bryophyte distribution in Ohio. Since 2004, 36 counties have been visited during OMLA forays and the number of new county records produced has been most impressive. As indicated in the tables below, the total for macrolichens is 421, with 913 new records for mosses and 142 for liverworts.
New County Records – Bryophytes
OMLA Event, County |
Moss |
Liverwort |
| 04 Fall Foray, Adams | 4 | 0 |
| 05 Summer Foray, Lucas | 10 | 5 |
| 05 Fall Foray, Lawrence | 37 | 14 |
| 05 Fall Foray, Jackson | 0 | 1 |
| 06 Summer Foray, Vinton | 31 | 7 |
| 06 Fall Foray, Washington | 28 | 11 |
| 07 Fall Foray, Pike | 7 | 3 |
| 07 Fall Foray, Ross | 1 | 0 |
| 08 Summer Foray, Gallia | 14 | 2 |
| 08 Fall Foray, Erie | 5 | 0 |
| 09 Summer Foray, Darke | 57 | 0 |
| 09 Fall Foray, Meigs | 41 | 8 |
| 10 Summer Foray, Henry | 43 | 0 |
| 10 Fall Foray, Muskingum | 65 | 10 |
| 11 Sum. Foray, Defiance | 44 | 1 |
| 11 Fall Foray, Crawford | 30 | 8 |
| 11 Fall Foray, Morrow | 10 | 6 |
| 12 Summer Foray, Fayette | 21 | 2 |
| 12 Fall Foray, Monroe | 34 | 10 |
| 13 Summer Foray, Allen | 31 | 0 |
| 13 Fall Foray, Columbiana | 30 | 15 |
| 14 Summer, Pickaway | 25 | 8 |
| 14 Fall Foray, Adams | 3 | 2 |
| 14 Fall Foray, Pike | 8 | 0 |
| 15 Summer, Brown | 44 | 3 |
| 15 Summer, Highland | 6 | 0 |
| 15 Fall, Montgomery | 50 | 0 |
| 16 Summer, Carroll | 44 | 16 |
| 16 Fall, Miami | 32 | 0 |
| 17 Summer, Licking | 15 | 0 |
| 17 Fall, Morgan | 49 | 0 |
| 18 Summer, Wayne | 13 | 0 |
| 18 Fall, Hocking | 3 | 0 |
| 19 Summer, Wood | 18 | 0 |
| 19 Fall, Ashtabula | 15 | 0 |
| 20 Summer, Fulton | 11 | 6 |
| 20 Fall, Noble | 42 | 4 |
Total Number |
913 | 142 |
New County Records – Lichens
OMLA Event, County |
Macrolichen |
| 04 Fall Foray, Adams | 0 |
| 05 Summer Foray, Lucas | 9 |
| 05 Fall Foray, Lawrence | 16 |
| 05 Fall Foray, Jackson | 9 |
| 06 Summer Foray, Vinton | 1 |
| 06 Fall Foray, Washington | 20 |
| 07 Fall Foray, Pike | 9 |
| 07 Fall Foray, Ross | 6 |
| 08 Summer Foray, Gallia | 1 |
| 08 Fall Foray, Erie | 14 |
| 09 Summer Foray, Darke | 16 |
| 09 Fall Foray, Meigs | 5 |
| 10 Summer Foray, Henry | 14 |
| 10 Fall Foray, Muskingum | 19 |
| 11 Sum. Foray, Defiance | 25 |
| 11 Fall Foray, Crawford | 18 |
| 11 Fall Foray, Morrow | 11 |
| 12 Summer Foray, Fayette | 24 |
| 12 Fall Foray, Monroe | 23 |
| 13 Summer Foray, Allen | 12 |
| 13 Fall Foray, Columbiana | 29 |
| 14 Summer, Pickaway | 15 |
| 14 Fall Foray, Adams | 0 |
| 14 Fall Foray, Pike | 3 |
| 15 Summer, Brown | 6 |
| 15 Summer, Highland | 1 |
| 15 Fall, Montgomery | 0 |
| 16 Summer, Carroll | 11 |
| 16 Fall, Miami | 23 |
| 17 Summer, Licking | 14 |
| 17 Fall, Morgan | 16 |
| 18 Summer, Wayne | 7 |
| 18 Fall, Hocking | 4 |
| 19 Summer, Wood | 8 |
| 19 Fall, Ashtabula | 4 |
| 20 Summer, Fulton | 20 |
| 20 Fall, Noble | 8 |
Total Number |
421 |
In addition to new county records, OMLA members have also added a number of new state records for lichens and bryophytes. These have been detailed in previous issues of OBELISK. The knowledge of crustose lichens in Ohio has also been greatly increased by the work of Don Flenniken, and more recently Tomás Curtis, a student member of OMLA.
I think no other conclusion can be drawn than the Ohio Moss and Lichen Association is a great success!
– Ray Showman
original article in OBELISK v. 17 (2020)