Beautiful lichens,
a myriad of prepossessing tongues
—> lichen (n.), 1715, from Latin līchēn (“ringworm”), from Ancient Greek λειχήν (leikhḗn), 'tree moss, lichen', likely from λείχω (leíkhō), 'to lick up', from PIE root *leigh- 'to lick'
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'Like those nameless ones
who kept painting, shaping, engraving,
unseen, unread, unremembered.'
—Jane Hirshfield
(from 'For the Lobaria, Usnea, Witches Hair, Map Lichen, Beard Lichen, Ground Lichen, Shield Lichen', in 'Come, Thief', 2011)
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Fairy barf or candy lichen: Icmadophila ericetorum as photographed by Jeff Hollett
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