Lichens on rocks along the Wasson Peak trail. — Image by kenne
“Lichen is a composite organism consisting of a fungus (the mycobiont) and a photosynthetic partner
(the photobiont or phycobiont) growing together in a symbiotic relationship. The photobiont is usually either a green alga
(commonly Trebouxia) or cyanobacterium (commonly Nostoc).”
When teaching children about lichen, Sabino Canyon Volunteer Nationalists (SCVN) share this short poem:
“Alice Algae took
a lichen
to Freddie Fungus,
but now
their relationship
is on the rocks.”
— kenne
