North Carolina Lichens

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages

Technically classified with fungi, not plants, lichens are a mutualistic relationship between a fungus and an alga. Generally speaking, the fungus provides structure or housing for the alga, and the alga provides food via photosynthesis for the fungus. Thanks to Brendan Hodkinson for his help with identifications!
Cladonia sp. perhaps C. cristatella or C. incrassata
Avery Co., NC
22 July 2006
Cladonia sp. perhaps C. cristatella or C. incrassata
Avery Co., NC
22 July 2006

Usnea sp. One of the Old Man's Beard lichens (Usnea strigosa agg.)
Mason Farm, Orange Co., NC
9 March 2008

Common lichens in North America, they often look like little hairy beards growing on tree branches.


Various lichens on a branch surround an Usnea.
Mason Farm, Orange Co., NC
9 March 2008


Parmotrema sp. Parmotrema submarginale
Mason Farm, Orange Co., NC
9 March 2008


Various lichens on a branch
Mason Farm, Orange Co., NC
9 March 2008

From left to right: "Buellia" (sensu lato), Usnea sp., Ramalina sp., a parmelioid lichen (family Parmeliaceae), a crust lichen



Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Butterfly Page | Jeff's Nature Page

Created on ... July 25, 2007 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com