Editing Lichen (section)

=== Fungi ===
The fungal component of a lichen is called the ''mycobiont''. The mycobiont may be an [[Ascomycete]] or [[Basidiomycete]].<ref name=UCLS/> The associated lichens are called either [[Ascomycota|ascolichens]] or [[basidiolichen]]s, respectively. Living as a [[Symbiosis|symbiont]] in a lichen appears to be a successful way for a fungus to derive essential nutrients, since about 20% of all fungal species have acquired this mode of life.<ref name=Hawksworth1988/>

Thalli produced by a given fungal symbiont with its differing partners may be similar,{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} and the secondary metabolites identical,{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} indicating{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} that the fungus has the dominant role in determining the morphology of the lichen. But the same mycobiont with different photobionts may also produce very different growth forms.<ref name=FSSD/> Lichens are known in which there is one fungus associated with two or even three algal species.

Although each lichen thallus generally appears homogeneous, some evidence seems to suggest that the fungal component may consist of more than one genetic individual of that species.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

Two or more fungal species can interact to form the same lichen.<ref name=Rikkinen1995/>

The following table lists the [[Order (biology)|orders]] and [[Family (biology)|families]] of fungi that include lichen-forming species.
{{Lichen family taxonomy}}