Lichenpedia

A pocket-sized, illustrated Aâ"Z treasury about the weird and wonderful world of lichens

Lichens are all around us, hiding in plain view-on trees, rocks, the ground, and even the pavement. They break down rocks, help form soil, provide shelter and food for birds and other animals, trap carbon, and produce many unique chemicals. And humans, too, use lichens-for dyeing, brewing, making drugs, and much more. Featuring close to a hundred bite-sized entries, Lichenpedia is a delightfully entertaining and beautifully illustrated introduction to these weird, obscure, but essential organisms-from how they have spread throughout the planet to the ways they have inspired writers and artists, from Henry David Thoreau to modern painters.

Writing in a vivid, lively style, Kay Hurley presents key aspects of lichen biology, environmental roles, emerging uses, scientific history, and myth. She describes the variety of forms that lichens take, from leafy to filamentous to things reminiscent of skin diseases, with imaginative names like witch's hair. She explains the surprising ways that birds and beasts-from reindeer and moose down to tiny tardigrades-use lichens, and how lichens survive in extreme environments, from deserts to Antarctica to outer space. Hurley also introduces some of the innovators who have advanced the knowledge of lichens, from the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus to today's professional lichenologists.

Filled with compelling facts, explanations, and stories, Lichenpedia promises to put you in touch with the natural world in a new way by opening your eyes to these overlooked but vital organisms.

• Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design