Lichen Oil
Lichen is a peculiar creature by nature. It is a plant belonging to the Parmeliaceae plant family. Lichen is a combination or a tremendous partnership between two different organisms namely algae and fungi. This unanimous plant variety does not have roots, leaves or stems. Lichens often resemble mosses. These plants are just like the other plants as they prepare their own food by using the energy extracted from sunlight. Lichens are often found growing on barks of trees, ground as well as on rocks. Lichen is basically a fungus but it contains one or more algae which help in making its food. The external layer or the outer body is built with a fungus and the inner layer is inbuilt with blue-green or green algae. These algae are extremely generous as they prepare food for themselves as well as the fungus. Lichen is the perfect example of an organic relationship called as symbiosis. This special organism appear in various forms like wrinkled sheets, crusty, bushy tufts, powdery, scalloped, scaly, paint-like rusts, lace-like pads, hairy-branched filaments, spread strands of black, gray or green hairy roots and leaf-like lobes. Lichens are not made up of leaves and sterns though they appear to have leaves, roots and stems.
Common Names: Lichens
Mostly Lichens are found growing on trees and shrubs. This vegetarian plant variety does not harm the trees that it grows on nor absorb their nourishment. Lichens make their own food from sunlight. These organisms are not parasitic but at times are mistaken for dangerous species of fungi. One more astonishing fact about Lichens is that there are nearly 18,000 species of Lichens recognized all over the world. The most popular varieties of Lichens based on their forms are crustose lichens, foliose lichens and fruticose lichens. Of which crustose are encrusting forms that spread over the surface of the host, foliose lichens are found with leafy lobes and root-like threads spreading horizontally on the surface of its habitat and finally the shrubby forms with numerous branches are known as fruticose lichens.
Lichens are very flexible and adaptable in nature. They are found growing on a wide range of surfaces including rocks, trees, walls, buildings and even on grounds. Those Lichens found on grounds help in the production of soil. Moisture bound and harsh environments can boost the growth of Lichens. This wonderful plant has the power to capture the essential nutrients from dust, air and water. Waste materials of birds, animals and insects also feed Lichens. These plants have an extremely slow growth rate.
Uses: Lichens might look simple but they have a wide variety of usage. Many acids used in chemistry are found only in Lichens. The most popular Litmus dye is extracted from Lichens. Few varieties of Lichens are ground and used for making breads. Certain healing drugs that are more powerful than penicillin are produced using Lichens. Few animals living in the cold climatic zones eat Lichens and certain other animals use lichens as their nesting material. Many famous papers and dye materials are produced using Lichens. It is also used in the production of certain antibiotics.
