Lichen

Lichen (pronounced “liken”) is a symbiotic life form composed of primarily of algae and fungi. Recently, scientists have determined that bacteria play a role in forming this multi-species organism as well. The fungus forms the structure to provide a “home” for the algae, and the algae’s photosynthesis produces sugars that feed both. 

There are roughly 15,000 different lichens on earth. At Point Lobos, they are most evident in trees and on rocks, and the most obvious lichen is lace lichen, hanging on trees like as “old man’s beard”, a common name for it. People who have been to the US Southeast frequently confuse lace lichen with Spanish moss, which it  is not. (Spanish moss, by the way, isn't a moss. It is a member of the Bromeliaceae family, and reproduces through seeds and vegetative means, while true mosses reproduce via spores.)

Some birds use lace lichen to make a soft nest for their eggs. You can find it throughout the reserve on pines, cypresses and oaks.