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ST. GEORGE — These alien-like organisms that cling to rocks, earth or trees are something humans frequently walk past – but what exactly are they?
Lichens are composite organisms, which means they're actually made up of two distinct organisms, said Dr. Jacqualine Grant, an associate professor in Southern Utah University's geosciences department. One of the organisms is fungi and the other is cyanobacteria, which also bears the common name blue-green algae.
Despite bearing the name "algae," cyanobacteria are part of the bacteria kingdom Monera, according to the United States Forest Service's website about lichen.
"The 'blue' in the common name refers to the fact that they need to live in water, and "green algae" refers to their photosynthetic abilities."
