Eol Sha lichen

A species of lichen grew in the geysers of the planet Eol Sha, thriving on the heat and mineral deposits found there. It was protected by the extreme heat by growing in deep crevasses within the geysers. The colonists of Eol Sha gathered the lichen and were able to eat it after heavily processing it.
==Biology and appearance==
A breed of lichen, composed of a mass of tentacle-like structures with a spongy texture, was found on the planet Eol Sha, where it thrived on heat and mineral deposits. It grew in warm cracks of geysers, ones protected from scalding water and steam. The lichen was inedible in its raw form, but, after being heavily processed, the colonists on Eol Sha under Gantoris, their Force-sensitive leader, could consume it.
==History==
In 11 ABY,The Essential Reader's Companion dates the events of Jedi Search to 11 ABY. Gantoris was met on Eol Sha by Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, who had come to the planet in search of students to join his Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, knowing there had been Force-sensitives on Eol Sha before. Gantoris quickly associated Skywalker with the "Dark Man" who had been visiting him in his sleep, due to Skywalker's dark robes and powerful demonstrations of the Force. Gantoris instantly distrusted Skywalker and resolved to test his claims of being a Master with two challenges. Gantoris led Skywalker deep into a geyser under the guise of gathering this breed of lichen as food for the village. However, in reality, the purpose of the trip was to see if Skywalker would be caught by the boiling water and super-heated steam that erupted at regular intervals from the geyser.
After Gantoris showed Skywalker how to harvest the lichen by pulling it out of the cracks in the geyser, the two split up. Gantoris retreated to a safe distance to observe the man. After filling a pouch with the lichen, Skywalker began climbing out. However, he sensed the geyser's imminent eruption and escaped the blast of steam through use of the Force. Later, after having been convinced of Skywalker's legitimacy, Gantoris agreed to join him at his Academy.
==Behind the scenes==
The lichen appeared in the 1994 novel Jedi Search, the first in The Jedi Academy Trilogy, by Kevin J. Anderson.
==Appearances==
*Jedi Search 
==Sources==
*The Jedi Academy Sourcebook
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
==Notes and references==
Category:Edible fungi
Category:Lichen