Fragmentation is certainly the easiest to comprehend. After that, the lichen may produce spores, but only from the fungal element. The spores germinate and if successful, the hyphae engulf or trap the appropriate algal cell and thus begins a new lichen. Other reproductive mechanisms are isidia, small projections in the upper layer which contain both types of cells and soridia, which also contain both cell elements. A pothecia is a term for the fruiting bodies found on the surface of many lichens.
Many lichens appear gray when dry, but a transformation occurs when wet.
Various shades of green are typical because the fungal cells become translucent and allow the chlorophyll of the algal cells to become visible. Lichens provide nourishment for slugs and snails as well as larger animals such as reindeer. They are also excellent indicator plants and decrease rapidly with increasing degrees of pollution. The main reason and discussion at this meeting was that the present system of keeping our funds in Fleet Bank has always required two signatures to withdraw money. Because Linda's signature was always required in addition to Gary's, they would have to make arrangements to get together and the scheduling was becoming inconvenient to say the least.