LTCIIENS 



All liclions have a staiiinji; point of growth. From I his 

 they spread on all sides in the form of a circle. Some- 

 times the central part is dead while the edge is growing. 

 This part of the plant takes the nourishment from the 

 air. 



If voii examine the leafv lichens, you will see curious 

 round disks or shields of a different color from the rest 

 of the plant. The spores are wdthin the disks. When 



Liclicii Atlached by a Single 

 Knotlike Root in the Cen- 

 ter. 



Lichens Attaehed Closely to 

 the Rock, or the Bark of 

 the Tree. 



the entire shield is w^et, the part that holds the spores 

 becomes bulged out above and causes a pressure which 

 finally bursts the spore cases. Then the spores are 

 scattered. If 3^ou exjmiine the spore cases of some 

 lichens with a magnifying glass you will be surprised 

 at their beauty. They are generally oval in shape. 

 Some are ])riglit red or a golden ^t^Iow; others are deep 

 blue, green, olive, or brown. 



Man\' lichens never produce spores in this way. In- 



120 



