Picture of the Day

Lichen

November 12, 2020   ―-  Archive

License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Here are lichens on a rock in the Lumpy Ridge area of Rocky Mountain National Park. The cup-like structures are where fungal spores are produced and are called apothecium. A lichen is a symbiosis between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. About 20,000 species of lichens are thought to exist, with about 6% of the Earth's surface covered by them.

Equipment used: Canon EOS Rebel T5i with a standard zoom lens (EF-S 18-55 mm).

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Authors: Richard Hollos and Stefan Hollos