What are lichens?
Lichens are extraordinary composite organisms – part fungus, part alga or cyanobacterium – that live so closely together they function as one, and in Malaysia they remain surprisingly understudied despite their remarkable diversity. The fungus provides a protective home while its photosynthetic partner produces food from sunlight, allowing Malaysian lichens to colonize rainforest tree bark, misty montane branches, river rocks, and coastal cliffs where few other lifeforms can persist. Far from being mere “moss,” they help break down rock into soil, create miniature habitats for insects and microbes, and act as sensitive indicators of air quality and climate change. Yet many Malaysian lichens have never been properly documented, and new species are still being discovered, so every patch of lichen on a rainforest tree could hold scientific secrets about biodiversity, ecosystem health, and environmental history. This website exists to highlight, explore, and share the hidden world of Malaysia’s lichens, bringing attention to organisms that are vital to our ecosystems but too often overlooked.
Lichens of Peninsular Malaysia 