Stats

Lifespan

10-30 yrs

Size

Tiny

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Common

About

This foliose lichen grows in circular patches on limestone rocks and tree bark. Its lobe tips curl upward into tiny hoods armed with long, dark-tipped sensory hairs.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   spore

   A microscopic spore drifts on air or water and germinates where moisture and substrate meet.
2. 2.
   mycelium

   A thread-like mycelium spreads through the substrate, breaking it down into nutrients.
3. 3.
   fruiting body

   A mature fruiting body emerges to release the next generation of spores.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Ascomycota

Class

Lecanoromycetes

Order

Caliciales

Family

Physciaceae

Genus

Physcia

Species

Physcia adscendens