LICHENS 



stead, the whole surface of the plant is covered with 

 powdery grains which grow into new plants wherever 

 they are carried by the wind. 



a 



Seeds to our eyes invisible can find 



On the rude rock the bed that fits their kind. 



n 



On some lichens there are spongy tops which look 

 like tiny trees. Then there are the cup mosses that lift 

 up their spore cases above the circles so closely fastened 

 to the rocks. 



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Written Lichens. 





These belong to 

 the bushy lichens. 



To the crusty 

 lichens belong 

 those plants that 

 look like crusty 

 patches on walls, 

 stones, and trees. 

 One of this group 

 has very strange fruit vessels which look like Arabic 

 and Chinese letters. These lichens grow on the bark 

 of trees and are called written lichens. 



lichens spring up and grow rapidly the first year 

 or two; but after a circular frond is formed, they grow 

 but little for many years. Some of those that we see on 

 trees and rocks must be very old. Every year these 

 plants show renewed life at the approach of winter. 



121 



