Parmotrema perlatum

Parmotrema perlatum is a foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae, known as black stone flower and used as a spice in South Asian cooking.

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Lichen: A stable association in which a fungus lives with a photosynthetic alga or cyanobacterium. Parmotrema perlatum is a lichen formed through this kind of partnership.
Symbiosis: A close, persistent association between organisms of different species. The fungus and photosynthetic partner persist together in this lichen.
Black stone flower: A culinary name for dried aromatic lichens used in South Asian cuisine. This is the common spice name associated with Parmotrema perlatum.
Parmotrema: A genus of foliose lichen-forming fungi in the family Parmeliaceae. Parmotrema perlatum is one species within this genus.
Mycobiont: The fungal partner in a lichen association. The fungal partner forms most of this species’ thallus and reproductive structures.
Soredium: A small lichen propagule containing fungal hyphae and photosynthetic cells. Soredia can disperse both partners together and establish new thalli.
Dagad phool: An Indian spice name meaning stone flower, used for dried aromatic lichens. The Marathi name is commonly applied to this lichen as a cooking ingredient.
Parmotrema tinctorum: A foliose lichen species in the genus Parmotrema, found in tropical and subtropical regions. This congener provides a close taxonomic comparison within the same genus.
Photobiont: The photosynthetic partner in a lichen, usually a green alga or cyanobacterium. Its photosynthetic partner supplies carbohydrates to the lichen association.
Isidium: A small, corticated outgrowth of a lichen thallus that can detach for dispersal. Isidia are another vegetative dispersal structure found among lichens.