Moss and Lichen

Author: Lawson, Elizabeth, QC

Botany & plant sciences

Published on 16 December 2024 by REAKTION BOOKS in the United Kingdom as part of 'the Botanical' series.

Hardback | 256 pages, 113 illustrations, 96 in colour; 113 illustrations, 96 in colour
144 x 224 x 23 | 628g

This book is a fascinating exploration of mosses and lichens, celebrating the extraordinary biology, beauty and resilience of these unassuming organisms. Endowed with unique superpowers, from enduring desiccation to thriving in extreme habitats, mosses and lichens defy easy categorization. Mosses, integral to the plant kingdom, and lichens, a kingdom unto themselves, colonize a great variety of landscapes, from rainforests to deserts and urban pavements. Neglected in the past for their lack of flowers, these organisms now garner recognition for their significant role in maintaining the health of our world's ecosystem. Elizabeth Lawson's book shows how they shape landscapes, prevent erosion and sequester carbon, and surveys the biologists, artists and writers who celebrate their importance. Moss and Lichen inspires a newfound appreciation for these unsung heroes of the natural world.