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foliose thallus

biology
Also known as: leafy thallus

Quick Summary

A foliose thallus is a biological structure found in organisms like lichens. It is characterized by a flat, thin, and often lobed form that attaches to a substrate. The thallus is the plant body of simpler organisms such as algae and fungi, lacking the specialized tissues like stems and leaves found in higher plants. In lichens, which are symbiotic associations of algae or cyanobacteria and fungi, the thallus is the composite body. Foliose lichens are distinct from crustose (crust-like) and fruticose (shrub-like) lichens, typically having a clear top and bottom side and attaching to surfaces at their center.123

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  1. foliose
  2. thallus
  3. lichen

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