- (n.) One of a class of cellular, flowerless plants, (technically called Lichenes), having no distinction of leaf and stem, usually of scaly, expanded, frond-like forms, but sometimes erect or pendulous and variously branched. They derive their nourishment from the air, and generate by means of spores. The species are very widely distributed, and form irregular spots or patches, usually of a greenish or yellowish color, upon rocks, trees, and various bodies, to which they adhere with great tenacity. They are often improperly called rock moss or tree moss.
- (n.) A name given to several varieties of skin disease, especially to one characterized by the eruption of small, conical or flat, reddish pimples, which, if unchecked, tend to spread and produce great and even fatal exhaustion.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). lichen. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/lichen/definitions/2027750 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "lichen" http://smartdefine.org/lichen/definitions/2027750 (accessed September 23, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, lichen, Smart Define, viewed 23 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/lichen/definitions/2027750>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "lichen" 27 May 2011. Web. 23 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/lichen/definitions/2027750> |