BBC Hereford & Worcester have reported a species of lichen has been discovered in an orchard in Herefordshire that was thought to be extinct in the British Isles.

Various lichens

The golden eye lichen was last spotted in 1998 in Cornwall. The BBC are reporting that global warming may encourage the rare plant to make a comeback on these shores. However, as the Ledbury Portal reported back in October, crucial to the survival of rare lichens, insects, plants, birds and mammals are the unique old orchards that create and support their eco-system.

For their full story navigate here to BBC Hereford & Worcester

Lichens are a symbiotic partnership between an alga that lives within a fungus. The alga feeds the fungus, while the fungus protects and provides the alga with a place to live. They can be amazingly hardy and live in inhospitable environments.

For more information on lichens navigate to Wikipedia