| Rock tripe | |
|---|---|
| Umbilicaria growing on a rock | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Family: | Umbilicariaceae |
| Genus: | Umbilicaria |
| Species | |
|
Umbilicaria americana (Frosted rock tripe) |
|
Rock tripe is a lichen of the genus Umbilicaria that grows on rocks. It can be found throughout northern parts of North America such as New England and the Rocky Mountains. It is edible when properly prepared and has been used as a food source in extreme cases when other food sources were unavailable, such as by early American northern explorers.
The closely related Umbilicaria esculenta is commonly used as a food in Asian cuisine and a restorative medicine in traditional Chinese medicine. It is called shi'er (石耳 "rock ear") in Chinese cuisine, iwatake (岩茸 "rock mushroom") in Japanese cuisine, and seiogi (이버섯) in Korean cuisine.