Allographa : New Species Of Lichen
A team of researchers has unveiled five new species of lichen-forming fungi belonging to the genus Allographa.
- Allographa is a genus of script lichens or lichen-forming fungi (a fungus that teams up with algae or cyanobacteria to create a lichen) with elongated fruiting bodies in the family
- It has more than 200 species and in India these Allographa species are limited, particularly from the Western Ghats.
- These are highly sensitive to pollution, climate shifts and habitat disturbance, making them reliable indicators of ecosystem health.
- The recently discovered five new Allographa species from Western Ghats are:Allographa keralensis, A. paraconsanguinea; A. persistinspersa and A. semicarbonisata.
- Lichens are not just one organism but two (sometimes more) living in intimate symbiosis: a fungus that offers structure and protection, and a photobiont (usually a green alga or cyanobacterium) that captures sunlight and makes food.
- Lichens play critical roles in ecosystems, building soil, feeding insects and serving as nature’s bioindicators.
