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Flowery lichen, Usnea florida
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Flowery lichen, Usnea florida
Flowery lichen, Usnea florida (Lichen floridus). Handcoloured copperplate engraving after a drawing by James Sowerby for James Smiths English Botany, 1801
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Media ID 23203448
© Florilegius/Mary Evans
Acid Florida Floridus Flowery Herbal Lichen Medicinal Sowerby Smith Usnea
EDITORS COMMENTS
Usnea florida, commonly known as Flowery Lichen, is a fascinating and intricately beautiful organism that graces the forests of North America and Europe. This exquisite hand-colored copperplate engraving, created by James Sowerby for James Smith's English Botany in 1801, offers a captivating glimpse into the natural world of over two centuries ago. The Flowery Lichen, also known as Florid Lichen or Usnea floridus, is a type of follicular lichen that forms long, branching thalli covered in tiny, spherical apothecia, which appear like tiny flowers. These structures produce the lichen's reproductive spores. Usnea florida is not a true flowering plant but rather a symbiotic association of fungi and photosynthetic partners, primarily green algae or cyanobacteria. This lichen has long been recognized for its medicinal properties. The primary active compound in Usnea florida is usnic acid, a potent antimicrobial agent. Traditionally, it has been used to treat various ailments, including respiratory infections, wounds, and skin conditions. The lichen was also used as a dye in the past. The meticulous detail in this hand-colored copperplate engraving showcases the delicate beauty of the Flowery Lichen, providing a window into the natural history of this remarkable organism. The intricate patterns and textures of the lichen's thalli and apothecia are rendered in stunning detail, offering a testament to the skill and artistry of James Sowerby and the team at James Smith's English Botany.
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