The grey, green, or yellow covering that spreads over stone, walls, and tree bark — sometimes a thin crust, sometimes little leaf-like flakes. People call it a plant, and it looks like one.

The grey, green, or yellow covering that spreads over stone, walls, and tree bark —灰色、綠色,或黃色的一層覆蓋物,會蔓延在石頭、牆壁,還有樹皮上 sometimes a thin crust,有時候是薄薄的一層殼 sometimes little leaf-like flakes.有時候是像小葉片的碎片 People call it a plant,大家把它叫做植物 and it looks like one.它看起來也確實像植物。

Though actually it is not one plant: it is a fungus living with a tiny green partner (an alga, or something like one). The fungus holds on and keeps water; the green partner makes food from light.

Though actually it is not one plant:不過,它其實不是單一種植物 it is a fungus living with a tiny green partner它是一種真菌,跟一個很小的綠色夥伴一起生活 (an alga, or something like one).(一種藻類,或類似的東西) The fungus holds on and keeps water;真菌負責抓牢和保水 the green partner makes food from light.綠色的夥伴則靠光合作用製造食物。

You see it on old graves, mountain rock, and the shady side of trees. It grows slowly and does not need soil.

You see it on old graves, mountain rock, and the shady side of trees.你會在老墓碑、山上的岩石,還有樹木背陽的那一面看到它 It grows slowly and does not need soil.它長得很慢,也不需要土壤。

Students often point at moss and say lichen. Moss is a small green plant with tiny stems; lichen is usually flatter, crustier, and stuck tight to the surface.

Students often point at moss and say lichen.學生常常指著moss青苔,卻說成lichen地衣 Moss is a small green plant with tiny stems;Moss青苔是一種有細小莖的綠色小植物 lichen is usually flatter, crustier, and stuck tight to the surface.lichen地衣通常比較扁平、比較像硬殼,而且緊緊貼在表面上。