THE THREE MAIN FORMS OF LICHENS (Comparison )
1. Crustose Lichen:
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Crust like growth.
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Thallus- Flat and Irregularly lobed
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Fruiting body-small, apothecial type, containing asci and ascospores
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Examples: Graphis, Rhizocarpon
2. Foliose Lichen:
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Thallus- Flat,leaf-like, irregularly lobed
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Rhizoid like outgrowths called rhizines develop on lower surface of thallus for attachment to the substaratum.
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Mostly terricolous i.e. found growing on trees.
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Examples: Physcia, Parmelia
3. Fruticose Lichen:
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Thallus is complex and much branched like a bush and attached to the substratum with the help of a flattened disc.
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Fruiting body-Apothecial type
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Mostly terricolous i.e. found growing on trees.
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Examples: Evernia , Cladonia
