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Lichens
A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus, fungi species in a mutualism (biology), mutualistic relationship.Introduction to Lichens – An Alliance between Kingdoms . University of California Museum of Paleontology. Lichens have properties different from those of their component organisms. They come in many colors, sizes, and forms and are sometimes plant-like, but are not plants. They may have tiny, leafless branches (fruticose); flat leaf-like structures (foliose); grow crust-like, adhering tightly to a surface (substrate) like a thick coat of paint (crustose); have a powder-like appearance (Leprose lichen, leprose); or other growth forms. A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leprose Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms made up of multiple species: a fungal partner, one or more photosynthetic partners, and sometimes a basidiomycete yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a characteristic known as their growth form. Lichenologists have described a dozen of these forms: areolate, byssoid, calicioid, cladoniform, crustose, filamentous, foliose, fruticose, gelatinous, leprose, placoidioid and squamulose. Of these, crustose, foliose and fruticose are the most commonly encountered. With the exception of calicioid lichens, growth forms are based on the appearance of the thallus, which is the vegetative (non-reproductive) part of the lichen. In most species, this form is determined by the lichen's fungal partner, though in a small number, it is instead the photobiont that determines the lichen's morphology. In some growth forms, the outermost layer of the thallus consists of tightly woven fungal . This layer, known as the cortex, may be found o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leprose Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms made up of multiple species: a fungal partner, one or more photosynthetic partners, and sometimes a basidiomycete yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a characteristic known as their growth form. Lichenologists have described a dozen of these forms: areolate, byssoid, calicioid, cladoniform, crustose, filamentous, foliose, fruticose, gelatinous, leprose, placoidioid and squamulose. Of these, crustose, foliose and fruticose are the most commonly encountered. With the exception of calicioid lichens, growth forms are based on the appearance of the thallus, which is the vegetative (non-reproductive) part of the lichen. In most species, this form is determined by the lichen's fungal partner, though in a small number, it is instead the photobiont that determines the lichen's morphology. In some growth forms, the outermost layer of the thallus consists of tightly woven fungal . This layer, known as the cortex, may be found o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gelatinous Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms made up of multiple species: a fungal partner, one or more photosynthetic partners, and sometimes a basidiomycete yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a characteristic known as their growth form. Lichenologists have described a dozen of these forms: areolate, byssoid, calicioid, cladoniform, crustose, filamentous, foliose, fruticose, gelatinous, leprose, placoidioid and squamulose. Of these, crustose, foliose and fruticose are the most commonly encountered. With the exception of calicioid lichens, growth forms are based on the appearance of the thallus, which is the vegetative (non-reproductive) part of the lichen. In most species, this form is determined by the lichen's fungal partner, though in a small number, it is instead the photobiont that determines the lichen's morphology. In some growth forms, the outermost layer of the thallus consists of tightly woven fungal . This layer, known as the cortex, may be found o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caloplaca Marina
''Caloplaca marina'', the orange sea lichen, is a crustose, placodioid lichen. It has wide distribution, and can be found near the shore on rocks or walls. Calos in Greek means nice, placa in Greek is shield. Caloplaca therefore means ‘beautiful patches’. Taxonomy Synonyms are ''Caloplaca marina f. flavogranulata'' Wedd., (1875); ''Caloplaca marina var. flavogranulata'' (Wedd.) Zahlbr; ''Gasparrinia marina'' (Wedd.) Hav., (1936); and ''Placodium lobulatum'' Description The vegetative body of the lichen, the thallus, is orange or orange-red in colour and may be continuous or fragmented. When fragmented the thallus looks lumpy under a hand lens; when continuous it is areolate and the margins may be ill-defined with almost no lobes; it is never powdery or pruinose. A light coloured prothallus may be visible in well-developed specimens. Apothecia An ascocarp, or ascoma (), is the fruiting body ( sporocarp) of an ascomycete phylum fungus. It consists of very tightly interwo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fungus
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from the other eukaryotic kingdoms, which by one traditional classification include Plantae, Animalia, Protozoa, and Chromista. A characteristic that places fungi in a different kingdom from plants, bacteria, and some protists is chitin in their cell walls. Fungi, like animals, are heterotrophs; they acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of mobility, except for spores (a few of which are flagellated), which may travel through the air or water. Fungi are the principal decomposers in ecological systems. These and other differences place fungi in a single group of related organisms, named the ''Eumycota'' (''true f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Letharia Vulpina
''Letharia vulpina'', commonly known as the wolf lichen (although the species name ''vulpina'', from ''vulpine'' relates to the fox), is a fruticose lichenized species of fungus in the family Parmeliaceae. It is bright yellow-green, shrubby and highly branched, and grows on the bark of living and dead conifers in parts of western and continental Europe and the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains of North America. This species is somewhat toxic to mammals due to the yellow pigment vulpinic acid, and has been used historically as a poison for wolves and foxes. It has also been used traditionally by many native North American ethnic groups as a pigment source for dyes and paints. Description The thallus, or vegetative body, has a fruticose shape — that is, shrubby and densely branched — and a bright yellow to yellow-green, or chartreuse color, although the color will fade in drier specimens. Its dimensions are typically in diameter. The vegetative reproductive ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Foliose Lichen
Foliose lichen is one of the morphological classes of lichens, which are complex organisms that arise from the symbiotic relationship between fungi and a photosynthetic partner, typically algae. This partnership allows lichen to live in diverse climates that can range from cold, dry mountains to wet, warm valleys. Lichens develop quite slowly with recorded growth rates of 0.01–27mm/year depending on the species. Their lifespan averages between 30 and 60 years. Lichens have a main body part called the thallus, which is composed of hyphae, and houses the cortex and medulla. The cortex contains the photosynthetic cells while the medulla allows for gas exchange and makes up the bulk of the lichen's thallus. There are three main types of lichens: crustose, foliose, and fruticose. Foliose lichen are characterised by flattened leafy thalli, and an upper and lower cortex. Many have numerous layers, which are stratified, and aid in identifying different types. Foliose lichens attach to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Foliose
Foliose lichen is one of the morphological classes of lichens, which are complex organisms that arise from the symbiotic relationship between fungi and a photosynthetic partner, typically algae. This partnership allows lichen to live in diverse climates that can range from cold, dry mountains to wet, warm valleys. Lichens develop quite slowly with recorded growth rates of 0.01–27mm/year depending on the species. Their lifespan averages between 30 and 60 years. Lichens have a main body part called the thallus, which is composed of hyphae, and houses the cortex and medulla. The cortex contains the photosynthetic cells while the medulla allows for gas exchange and makes up the bulk of the lichen's thallus. There are three main types of lichens: crustose, foliose, and fruticose. Foliose lichen are characterised by flattened leafy thalli, and an upper and lower cortex. Many have numerous layers, which are stratified, and aid in identifying different types. Foliose lichens attach to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flavoparmelia Caperata
''Flavoparmelia caperata'', the common greenshield lichen, is a foliose lichen that grows on the bark of trees, and occasionally on rock. Identification ''Flavoparmelia caperata'' is a medium to large foliose lichen that has a very distinctive pale yellow green upper cortex when dry. The rounded lobes, measuring wide, usually have patches of granular soredia arising from pustules. The lobes of the thallus may be smooth, but quite often have a wrinkled appearance especially in older specimens. The lower surface is black except for a brown margin; rhizoids attached to the lower surface are black and unbranched. Similar species The very similar '' Flavoparmelia baltimorensis'' grows mainly on rock and has globose, pustular outgrowths (somewhat similar to isidia) on the upper surface of the lobes, but does not produce granular soredia Soredia are common reproductive structures of lichens. Lichens reproduce asexually by employing simple fragmentation and production of soredia and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iceland Moss
''Cetraria islandica'', also known as true Iceland lichen or Iceland moss, is an Arctic-alpine lichen whose erect or upright, leaflike habit gives it the appearance of a moss, where its name likely comes from. Description It is often of a pale chestnut color, but varies considerably, being sometimes almost entirely grayish-white; and grows to a height of from , the branches being channelled or rolled into tubes, which end in flattened lobes with fringed edges. Chemistry In commerce it is a light-gray harsh cartilaginous body, almost colorless, and tastes slightly bitter. It contains about 70% of lichenin or lichen-starch, a polymeric carbohydrate compound isomeric with common starch. It also yields a peculiar modification of chlorophyll (called ''thallochlor''), fumaric acid, lichenostearic acid, and cetraric acid (which gives it the bitter taste). It also contains lichesterinic acid and protolichesterinic acids.1911 Encyclopædia Britannica Distribution and habitat It ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fruticose
A fruticose lichen is a form of lichen fungi that is characterized by a coral-like shrubby or bushy growth structure. It is formed from a symbiotic relationship of a photobiont such as green algae or less commonly cyanobacteria and one, two or more mycobionts. Fruticose lichens are not a monophyletic and holophyletic lineage, but is a form encountered in many classes. Fruticose lichens have a complex vegetation structure, and are characterized by an ascending, bushy or pendulous appearance. As with other lichens, many fruticose lichens can endure high degrees of desiccation. They grow slowly and often occur in habitats such as on tree barks, on rock surfaces and on soils in the Arctic and mountain regions. Characteristics Fruticose lichens are lichens composed of a shrubby or bushy thallus and a holdfast. The thallus is the vegetative body of a lichen that does not have true leaves, stems, or roots. The thallus colour is affected by the algae in the lichen, compounds created by t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reindeer Moss
''Cladonia rangiferina'', also known as reindeer cup lichen, reindeer lichen (cf. Swedish language, Sw. ''renlav'') or grey reindeer lichen, is a light-colored fruticose lichen, fruticose, Cladonia, cup lichen species in the family Cladoniaceae. It grows in both hot and cold climates in well-drained, open environments. Found primarily in areas of alpine tundra, it is extremely cold-hardy. Other common names include reindeer moss, deer moss, and caribou moss, but these names can be misleading since it is, though somewhat moss-like in appearance, not a moss. As the common names suggest, reindeer lichen is an important food for reindeer (caribou), and has economic importance as a result. synonym (biology), Synonyms include ''Cladina rangiferina'' and ''Lichen rangiferinus''. Description Thallus, Thalli are fruticose, and extensively branched, with each branch usually dividing into three or four (sometimes two); the thicker branches are typically in diameter. The color is grayish, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
