Uses of Lichens: Past and Present

Uses of Lichens
Food for humans and other animals Medicinal problems and uses Lichens as dyes (past and present) Lichens in the perfume industry Biodeterioration problems Miscellaneous uses and problems

Lichens as Food
Lichens as Food for Humans
Human consumption is limited: Umbilicaria (rock tripe), Bryoria used by native peoples of North America Sometimes used for survival (Cladina, Cetraria islandica) Generally most taxa are bitter tasting and provide little nutritional value

Umbilicaria

Lichens as Food (cont.)

A Secwempec (Shuswap) elder near Kamloops, British Columbia, placing soaked Bryoria fremontii into a pit oven for cooking. Photo copyright Sandra Peacock 1992. Bryoria fremontii was the most widely used edible lichen in North America -- a famine food for many groups, and a delicacy for some.

Lichens Used as Food

Bryoria fremontii and Cetraria islandica

Nutritional Value

Lichens as Food (cont.)

Lichens as Food for Animals
Eaten in winter by reindeer, caribou, and deer
A definite browse line can be found in many northern forests due to winter feeding by deer

Sheep in Libya graze on Aspilicia esculenta in the desert Some mollusks and insects eat lichens on a regular basis

Elk Deaths (?)

Wyoming elk-death mystery solved. Lichen behind the deaths of nearly 300 healthy elk. Wyoming
Game and Fish Department March 22, 2004

Can Xanthoparmelia chlorochroa (tumbleweed shield lichen) kill elk?

Medical Problems
Contact dermatitis sometimes occurs in lumbermen who become sensitized to constant exposure to lichens Called woodcutters eczema or cedar poisoning Problem is caused primarily by an allergic reaction to various lichen acids (as in Evernia prunastri)

Contact Dermatitis
Evernia prunastri Alectoria, Cetraria, Cladonia, Evernia, Lecanora, Parmelia, Physica, Usnea and Xanthoria species have been reported allergenic.

Lichen in Dermatology
A skin disease known as lichen is, fortunately, not caused by or related to lichenized fungi
The term, however, confuses the literature and often the public No pathogen is actually present and causes are unknown Various versions of the disease are known as lichen planus, lichen sclerosus, lichen puctatus etc

Lichen planus

Medical Uses
Historically, some lichens were thought to have medicinal properties and were given names indicating this (doctrine of signatures)
Lobaria pulmonaria and Parmelia sulcata (cure for lung disease) Peltigera canina (cure for rabies) Letharia vulpina (used as a poison against wolves)

Medieval Medicinal Lichens

Letharia vulpina and Lobaria pulmonaria

Medicinal Uses (cont.)

Other species are (or have been) used in folk medicines around the world, usually prepared as a tea

Medical Uses (cont.)

Usnic acid has been shown to inhibit the growth of gram+ bacteria Active ingredient in some topical ointments sold in Europe and Russia (USNO, BINAN) Some lichen fatty acids and carbohydrates have anti-tumor effects in study animals. None have been developed for humans yet.
Most of this work has been done in Japan

Bacterial Growth Inhibition

Dyes from Lichen Substances

Orchil (purple dyes)
Earliest documented use from ancient Rome as a purple dye or togas using Roccella species from rocks around the Mediterranean This use was discontinued later when a longer lasting dye was obtained from snails

Crottal (brown dyes)

Extracted from Parmelia, Ochrolechia, and Evernia)

Dyes from Lichen Substances (cont.)

These extracts are used still to dye wool and produce the Harris Tweed of Scotland, especially on the Outer Hebrides

Considerable amateur application of lichen dyes today from a number of species as well as extracts of other plants

Wool Dyeing in Scotland

Scottish Harris Tweed

Dyes from Arctic Lichens

Arctic Lichen Dyes

Other Lichen Dyes (cont.)

Navajo Rug Weavers

Lichen is primarily Xanthoparmelia spp.

Perfume Manufacture
Hard to find out precisely how the lichens are used because of extreme secrecy However, many companies buy many of tons of lichens every year Probably involved in the manufacture of moss and leather fragrances in perfumes and some types of soap

Oakmoss oil. 10 ml for about $30.00

Perfume Manufacture

Collection of oak moss and tree moss (species of Pseudevernia and Evernia)

Biodeterioration Problems
Damage to stained glass windows in old cathedrals in Europe due to etching of the glass by lichen growth or Caloplaca/Xanthoria on roof tiles

Biodeterioration (cont.)
Considerable work in the last 15 years has been done of the deterioration effects of lichen growth on monuments and artwork in Europe, especially in Italy.

Mayan Ruins
Other problems include removal of lichen growth on Mayan ruins in Central America which develop once the ruins are restored and exposed to light

Cleaning Mayan Ruins

Before After

Miscellaneous Uses
Production of litmus paper Commercial Products
Material for model trains, landscape designs and architectural renderings Decorative displays

Illustrations for stamps (good example from Uruguay) Uses by Animals

Litmus Production in Europe

Commercial Products

Commercial Products (cont.)

Uruguayan Stamps
Usnea densirostrata, the yerba de la piedra

Decoration
Photographed at the San Jos, Costa Rica airport Lichen Bear at craft show in Arkansas 2005

Utilization by Animals
Use by North American vertebrates has been well documented by Steve Sharnoff
See www.lichen.com

A excellent chapter on Lichens and Animals can be found in the Seaward book, Lichen Ecology (see lecture notes in Lichen Ecology and Biogeography)

Animal Uses

Camouflage

Blends in perfectly on Xanthoparmelia species

Literature
Richardson, D. H. S. 1974. Vanishing Lichens. Their History, Biology and Importance. 231 pp. Hafner Press, New York. Moore, P. D. & R. S. Egan. 1991. Are lichens edible? Evansia 8(1): 9-14.

Web Sites
Contact Dermatitis from Lichens
http://bodd.cardiff.ac.uk/BotDermFolder/BotDermL/LICH.html

Lichens and Animals

http://www.lichen.com/animals.html

Human Uses of Lichens

http://www.lichen.com/usetaxon.htm http://www2.ac-lille.fr/lichen/Page_1.htm (Nice general site, in French)