wine gums and jam tarts

I finished the first lichen inspired piece begun here, and I have started a “Lichen ” sketchbook to record my findings about this fascinating plant life.

There is a wonderful website of lichen information here and one of the facts I learned today was that the reproductive spores are produced in disc-like structures called apothecia. There are two main variations of these-ones that appear to be like wine gums and others with a pale margin described as being like jam tarts. That’s my favourite fact of the day.

Botanically speaking my embroidery sample depicts the disc-like fruiting bodies known as lecanorine apothecia- the jam tart shaped variation. Whoever knew they could be so pretty? In reality, this sample is mostly bullion stitch and pattern darning on painted  linen scrim.