Rocella tinctoria

Roccella tinctoria

This small Rocella tinctoria lichen sample was given to me by Guida, to grow my natural dyeing related collection.
Actually, I did not know this was until she explained to me that this lichen, that is only found in certain rocks from certain islands from certain regions, dyes a rare purple color that in the pre-synthetic dye times was really hard to obtain otherwise. This sample came from the S.Jorge island in the Azores, one of few places where Rocella tinctoria grows.