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