# Common Lichens (*lecanoromycetes*)

Lichens are fascinating organisms that are made up of a fungus and an alga working together! They come in many colors and shapes, and you can find them growing on trees and rocks.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** Lichens can be found on trees, rocks, and soil in a variety of environments.
- **Also known as:** Rock Lichen, Tree Moss

![Common Lichens](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cladonia_sobolescens-2.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Ed Uebel, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cladonia_sobolescens-2.jpg)

## Appearance

The Common Lichens exist in many forms, often appearing as flat crusts, leafy flakes, or small branching structures. They display muted greens, grays, and yellows, sometimes with vibrant orange or red fruiting bodies, clinging tightly to surfaces.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Lecanoromycetes

## Interesting facts

- Lichens are two organisms in one: a fungus and an alga living together!
- Reindeer and caribou rely on lichens, especially 'reindeer moss,' for crucial winter food.
- Scientists use lichens as air quality monitors; they absorb pollutants, revealing air health.
- Some lichens grow less than a millimeter yearly, making them incredibly slow and ancient!

## Special abilities

- **Pioneer Growth:** Common Lichens can grow on bare rocks because they produce acids, slowly breaking down the surface to create new soil.
- **Extreme Survival:** Common Lichens can dry out and rehydrate, which helps them survive extreme temperatures and droughts globally.
- **Chemical Defense:** Common Lichens produce unique chemical compounds that act as sunscreens and deter herbivores, protecting them from damage.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 0.1-5 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Year-round

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** Lichen Alga (*Trebouxia arboricola*) — Provides food through photosynthesis for the fungal partner.
- **Eaten by:** Reindeer (*Rangifer tarandus*) — Crucial winter food source, especially 'reindeer moss' lichens.
- **Eaten by:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Grazes on lichen thalli, especially on trees and rocks.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Common Lichens?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Common Lichens?

0.1-5 cm

### Is Common Lichens edible?

inedible

### Where is Common Lichens usually found?

Lichens can be found on trees, rocks, and soil in a variety of environments.

### What does Common Lichens grow on?

wood

### When is Common Lichens in season?

Year-round

## Where to spot

- [Gamble Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gamble-park) — British Columbia, CA · Park

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Common Lichens: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-lichens)