by Gauri Gharpure – Lichen are one of the best known examples of mutualism (or symbiosis in scientific terms). They are organisms formed of a photosynthesizing partner (usually cyanobacteria or algae) and a “housing” and/or structural fungal partner (usually Ascomycota). Together they make intricate structures called thalli (sing. thallus) that can exist in many different forms: crustose, which adhere very…
