Tag: lichens ( the nature's pioneers )

Letharia vulpina, commonly known as the wolf lichen, is considered toxic or harmful because it contains vulpinic acid, which was historically used to poison wolves and foxes.

Cyphellae are small, cup-like depressions on the lower surface of certain lichens that facilitate gas exchange, serving a function analogous to stomata in plants.

Symbiosis in lichen is the mutually helpful symbiotic relationship of green algae living among the filaments of a fungus, forming a lichen. Example, Usnea

The majority of lichens are formed by the association of an ascomycete fungus and a photosynthetic partner, which is frequently a green alga or a blue-green alga (cyanobacterium).

A lichen is a long living composite organism that arises from green algae or cyanobacteria  living among filaments of a fungus in a mutually beneficial relationship (symbiotic relationship). The algal component of a lichen is known as phycobiont and the fungal component is called mycobiont.

In lichens, rhizines are multicellular root-like structures, arising mostly from the lower surface.Rhizines serve only to anchor the lichen to their substrate; they do not absorb nutrients as do plant roots.

• In biology that lives in dead wood, leaves, or sticks, or organic debris is called as lignicolous. 
• Lichens which grow on wood are called lignicolous, e.g., Cephalium.
• Hence the correct answer is option B.