Lichens

Lichen

Flora

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At a Glance
Family3 Kingdoms, Monera, Protista and Fungi
SeasonalityAll year
Heightnegligible
SA Tree Numbern/a
Conservation Statusn/a

Description

Lichen does not live as a parasite. They use the plant as a substrate only.

Lichen is a composite, symbiotic organism made from members of 2 or 3 Kingdoms.

The dominant partner is fungus (they take their name from the particular fungus), which is incapable of making its own food; they are either parasites or decomposers. They therefore cultivate partners that manufacture food by photosynthesis. The partner can either be an alga or cyanobacteria and sometimes both.

The result is little balls of algae wrapped in threads of fungus, called soredia.

They can be flat and leaf-like (foliose), crust-like buried in a tree's bark or rocky crevice (crustose), shrub-like (fruticose) or scaly (squamulose).

They are generally silver-grey but can also be yellow, orange and blue.

Distribution

Anywhere where there is sufficient light, moisture, clean air and freedom from competition.

Flower - Fruit

Small pieces breaking off and being blown to a new substrate spread most lichens.

Uses

Tend to be very sensitive to air pollutants and can be used to map various pollutants, ozone levels or the presence of metal contamination.

The leaf-like lichens are used in models.

Although lichens have been used in traditional medications, a soap scent and wool dye, the most important commercial use is in the making of litmus paper.

Those lichens that grow on rocks contribute to soil production; both through pressure and chemical reactions; certain acids dissolve the rock surface, freeing minerals, which enrich soil.

Local Information

Found throughout the reserve.

Those on trees can be found mainly in shady areas along the river streams.

Those on rocks will be best spotted along the rivers and streams – the rocks in the Nkutu Gorge near the waterfalls have some excellent examples particularly of the orange species.

Interesting Facts

They tend to live for many years and lichens, which are hundreds of years old, are used to date the rocks on which they grow.

References

isiZulu Tranlsation: Sibusiso Chamane

inkungu / phenwa

Lichen

Flora

Ukujeqeza
UmndeniKuloku singawulibala umndeni kanye namabizo amathathu eMibuso, Monera, Protista kanye neFungi
Izikhathi zonyakaUnyaka wonke.
UbudeNgenakukhathalelwa.
SA Tree NumberAlikho
Conservation IsimoAlikho

Ingcaciselo

Ubulembu abuphili njengomahlalecela. Busebenzisa isitshalo njengombekelelo ongaphansi kuphela. Ubulembu yingxubevange, okuphila ndawonye okwenziwe ngamalunga amabili noma amathathu ombuso. Umata obusayo isibindi okungakwazi ukuthi kuzenzele okwakho ukudla; kungaba omahlalecela noma ukudla okbolile. Ngaleyondlela buzijwayeza nomata abakwazi ukwenza ukudla ngobuchwephesha babo. Umata kungaba isithombo noma okubulala amagciwane noma kokubili. Umphumela amabhola amancane athandele umchayo wesibindi, obizwa soredia. Angacazeka futhi abe liqabunga elinakhasi amaningi, abe noqweqwe njengamaxolo esihlahla esimbelwe noma njengomfantu osetsheni, kube sihlahlana sehlanze noma esinenkwethu. Zijwayele ukuba mpunga ngokucwebezelayo kodwa zingaba ncombo, wolintshi kanye luhlaza.

Ukutholakala

Noma kuphi lapho kunokukhanya okwanele, umswakama, umoya ohlanzekile kanye nenkululeko ekuncintisaneni.

Izimbali/ Nezithelo

Izingcezu ezincane ezihlephukile bese ziphephukele kumbekelelo omusha kusabalale kobungcono ubulembu.

Umsebenzi

Buthanda ukuzwela okukhulu emoyeni ongcolisekile kanti bungasebenziseka kwibalazwe kunokungcoliseka okuninginingi, kumazinga omoya ongcwele noma lakunenkohlakalo kwensimbi. Iqabunga elifana nobulembu liyasetshenziswa lakukhangiswa khona. Nakuba ubulembu bebusebenza kumakhambi emvelo, kumakha ensipho, kuvolo odayiwe, okusemqoka. Kakhulu kwintengiso ukukusebenzisa ekwenzeni iphepha le litmus. Lama noma lobulwembu obukhula emadwaleni busiza emkhiqizweni womhlabathi, kokubili kunengcindezi kanti nasekuhlanganiseni amakhemikhali, kuhle ekuncibilikiseni, aside kubuso bamatshekokumbiwe phansi, okunothise inhlabathi.

Ulwazi Lwendawo

Kutholaka sonke isiqiwu.
Kulezohlahla ongazithola kakhulu endaweni enomthunzi kwinkase yomfula.

Kulawo asemadwaleni angabonakala kangcono emifuleni nasemifudlaneni-amadwala asemhosheni iNkuthu eduze nezimpophoma ezinezibonelo ezinhle kakhulu kuzinhlobo eziwolintshi.

Amaqiniso

Zinokuhlala ziphile iminyaka eminingi kanye nabulembu, okungamakhulu eminyaka yobudala, asebenza ukuqopha usuku noma isikhathi amadwala akhula ngaso.

Imininingwane

isiZulu Tranlsation: Sibusiso Chamane