I was on a hike recently and remembered my childhood fascination with the small orange and green lichen that grows on the surface of rocks. I was under the impression it was a type of fungi, but brief research said it was a plant. More research says yes but actually no, it’s a plant AND a fungus. Even more said it’s a plant, fungus, and bacteria. I’m thoroughly confused by this and there’s just too much information and I’m having trouble sifting though it.
I greatly appreciate the information, thanks in advance!
In: Biology
Lichens are two organisms living together in a fairly harmonious relationship, the green (or greenish part) is the plant which is an algae or cyanobacteria which produces energy from sunlight these are one of the earliest forms of life on our planet. – https://youtu.be/ile60Q3zsMU
They work alongside a fungi which protects the plant and also gathers water from the surrounding area since the plant doesn’t have roots and instead uses the filaments of the fungi for the purpose.
They generally have a relatively slow rate of growth but can adapt to almost any surface so long as there is some available light.
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