Abstract:
Sri Lanka is renowned for its unique biodiversity and high endemicity. Among a variety of
natural resources the country holds, lichens are hardly studied. However, lichens have been in
use as therapeutics by several communities worldwide. Further, they have been identified as
bio-indicators which can be used to monitor the quality of an environment. Studies on lichen
identification can provide data on the diversity, abundance and distribution which are essential
in lichen conservation and their sustainable use as natural sources for practical applications.
Climate change is a global crisis leading to loss of biodiversity which emphasizes the study of
lichens before extinction.
In the present study, a contrast in lichen diversity was observed between the two sampling sites:
Nonpareil Estate (NE) and Samanalawewa Wilderness (SW) which represent two
climatologically different areas of the country. A total of 36 lichen specimens were collected
from the two locations. Lichen characterization based on morphology and chemistry could
identify 22 lichen specimens from NE and 11 from SW, up to genus level. Six lichen specimens
were identified up to species level: Parmotrema tinctorum, Cladonia macilenta, Heterodermia
leucomela, Teloschistes flavicans and Dirinaria picta, out of which P. tinctorum was common
to both sites.
