lichen

Also known as lichens

thumb|A tree covered with leafy foliose lichens and shrubby fruticose lichens

AI overview

Lichens are organisms made up of fungi and algae living together, often seen as colorful crusty or leafy growths on rocks, trees, and soil. They're important because they break down rock into soil, provide food for wildlife, and serve as indicators of air quality since they're sensitive to pollution.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

25,426 papers

Lichen ecophysiology in a changing climate.ReviewAmerican journal of botany · 2023Stanton DE, Ormond A, Koch NM et al.DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16131
A roadmap for the creation of synthetic lichen.ReviewBiochemical and biophysical research communications · 2023Khakhar ADOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.02.079
Lichen - air quality association rule mining for urban environments in the tropics.ReviewInternational journal of environmental health research · 2024Lawal O, Ochei LCDOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2239716
Lichen and Its Microbiome as an Untapped Source of Anti-Biofilm Compounds.ReviewChemistry & biodiversity · 2025Millot M, Imbert C, Pouget C et al.DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202401557
How to build a lichen: from metabolite release to symbiotic interplay.ReviewThe New phytologist · 2023Pichler G, Muggia L, Carniel FC et al.DOI: 10.1111/nph.18780
Secondary metabolism in the lichen symbiosis.ReviewChemical Society reviews · 2018Calcott MJ , Ackerley DF , Knight A et al.DOI: 10.1039/c7cs00431a
Relative symbiont input and the lichen symbiotic outcome.ReviewCurrent opinion in plant biology · 2018Spribille TDOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2018.02.007
A Review of Anti-Cancer and Related Properties of Lichen-Extracts and Metabolites.ReviewAnti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry · 2022Tripathi AH, Negi N, Gahtori R et al.DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210322094647

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Wikidata facts

Image: Haeckel Lichenes.jpg

Show 2 more facts

Commons category: Lichens
Commons gallery: Lichen

Sources (5)

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~62 min read

Article

43 sections

Contents

Etymology and pronunciation
Anatomy and morphology
Growth forms
Color
Internal structure
Physiology
Symbiotic relation
Ecology
Miniature ecosystem and holobiont theory
Lichenicolous fungi
Reaction to water
Metabolites, metabolite structures and bioactivity
Growth rate
Life span
Response to environmental stress
Reproduction and dispersal
Vegetative reproduction
Sexual reproduction
Taxonomy and classification
Fungi
Photobionts
Controversy over classification method and species names
Diversity
Identification methods
Evolution and paleontology
Ecology and interactions with environment
Substrates and habitats
Lichens and soils
Ecological interactions
Effects of air pollution
Human use
Food
Lichenometry
Biodegradation
Dyes
Traditional medicine and research
Recreational and entheogenic use
Aesthetic appeal
In literature
History
See also
References
External links

thumb|A tree covered with leafy foliose lichens and shrubby fruticose lichens

A lichen ( , ) is a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among filaments of multiple fungus species, along with bacteria embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualistic relationship. Lichens are the lifeform that first brought the term symbiosis (as Symbiotismus) into biological context.