# Rosette Lichen (*physcia millegrana*)

Rosette Lichen is a beautiful and colorful plant that grows on rocks and trees! Its unique rosette shape makes it look like little flowers in nature!

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Rosette Lichen lives on rocks, tree bark, and in other dry areas.

![Rosette Lichen](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/LogLichen.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Rei at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LogLichen.jpg)

## Appearance

The Rosette Lichen has flattened, leaf-like lobes that form a beautiful circular pattern, often resembling tiny crumpled leaves. Its color ranges from blue-gray to greenish-gray, sometimes with whitish edges, making it stand out on tree bark or rocks.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Lecanoromycetes
- **Order:** Caliciales
- **Family:** Physciaceae
- **Genus:** Physcia

## Interesting facts

- It can live for hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of years on old trees and rocks!
- Many tiny insects and mites call the snug layers of Rosette Lichen their home!
- Rosette Lichen grows incredibly slowly, often less than a millimeter each year!
- Scientists study Rosette Lichen to check how clean the air is around us!

## Special abilities

- **Drought Master:** Rosette Lichen can dry out completely and then revive with rain, helping it survive harsh, dry environments.
- **Air Eater:** Rosette Lichen absorbs all its water and nutrients directly from the air and rain, because it has no roots!
- **Super Team:** Rosette Lichen is actually two organisms, a fungus and algae, working together to create food and shelter.
- **Tiny Spreader:** Rosette Lichen can reproduce by breaking off tiny bits that float away to start new lichens, helping it spread far.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 0.1-0.5 cm
- **Spread:** 2-10 cm
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** Green Alga (*Trebouxia arboricola*) — The Rosette Lichen fungus provides shelter for this alga.
- **Eats:** Lichen Moth (*Crocigrapha normani*) — Its caterpillars munch on Rosette Lichen as a food source.
- **Shelter:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Birds like this use Rosette Lichen pieces to camouflage their nests.

## 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

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Rosette Lichen?

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 Rosette Lichen?

0.1-0.5 cm

### How wide does Rosette Lichen spread?

2-10 cm

### Is Rosette Lichen edible?

No

### Is Rosette Lichen toxic?

None

### What is Rosette Lichen's lifecycle?

Perennial

### Where is Rosette Lichen usually found?

Rosette Lichen lives on rocks, tree bark, and in other dry areas.

## Where to spot

- [Fox Chase Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fox-chase-farm) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic Site

## 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: [Rosette Lichen: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rosette-lichen)