Vegetative Morphology

Evolution of Growth Forms
• These lichen growth forms do not
represent taxonomic groups
– For example: all “trees” and “shrubs” are not
related (although they have the same growth form)
– Thus all “fruticose” lichens are not related. The
fruticose growth form has evolved several times in
different groups (families)
• Growth forms (within one group) probably
arose: crustose foliose fruticose