Critter of the Week Strigular Lichens

Most species of fungi live as independent organisms, but some are ‘lichenised’ and most of these cannot survive independently of a partner, such as an alga or blue/green alga (cyanobacterium).

These are the things we call ‘lichens’ and today Nicola Toki, DoC's threatened species ambassador tells us about Strigular Lichens, of which there are about 16 species.

Strigula delicata on tawa leaf (image: Dr Peter de Lange)

Strigula fossulicola growing around damaged tawa leaf (image: Dr Peter de Lange)

Strigula novae-zelandiae and S. species on taraire leaf (image: Dr Peter de Lange)

Strigula species on tawa leaf (image: Dr Peter de Lange)

Image by Jeremy Rolfe

Image by Jeremy Rolfe