A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Not really a fungus - a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga.
Growing on fallen Norway Maple
There are 3 types of lichen: crustose, which is very flat and grows primarily on rocks and smooth bark; foliose, which is leafy and found on rougher types of bark; and fruiticose, which is lacy & diffuse (almost like moss) and grows hanging from branches (especially conifers in the north). Lichen can be an indicator of local air quality. Crustose will grow almost anywhere, foliose needs pretty clean air (I live in a rural area), and fruiticose needs extremely clean air. You generally only find large amounts of fruiticose at higher elevations in the north. I have been fortunate to find a couple of small pieces in my woods :)
Spotted on Mar 12, 2012
Submitted on Mar 12, 2012
2 Comments
Excellent point Alex. I love when I collect this for class and let it sit a while - bye- bye chlorophyll ;)
yes but the fungus has the upperhand--> in shapes and structure, and reproducing.. clean bushes then !!! :))