white lichen grows wood railroad tie adirondacks

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White Lichen grows on wood railroad tie in Adirondacks

A lichen is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship. Lichens have different properties from those of its component organisms. Lichens come in many colors, sizes, and forms and are sometimes plant-like, but lichens are not plants. Lichens may have tiny, leafless branches fruticose, flat leaf-like structures foliose, flakes that lie on the surface like peeling paint crustose, a powder-like appearance leprose, or other growth forms.