When viewed at a glance, for most people lichen plants are regarded as plants that are not useful and often referred to as pests plants. But actually there are a lichen plant benefits, there is a substantial market that collects the lichen from the wild to be used as raw materials of a product, there is also a make lichen as a material for environmentally friendly building decoration and some even use lichen to be a delicious food such as "lichen soil" which is processed into cooking up.
Some lichen plants are also used for fuel, for example, lichen type "Sphagnum". In the mining area, these lichen plants (in dry conditions) are used as fuel for lighting equipment, so this lichen is very helpful in the work of miners. In addition, Sphagnum type cristatum and subnitens in dry conditions can also be used for a growth medium on horticultural crops, such as vegetables and fruits. In the medical world, lichen also has many benefits.
There are several types of lichen plants that can be used for health, for example, "Marchantia" lichen species that can be used as a cure for liver disease, most plants that live on the rocks also over time will cause weathering on rocks so that the stone is destroyed and become the ground.
The process of weathering rocks assisted by lichen plants caused by Rhizoid lichen that penetrates the surface of the rock, so the rock becomes brittle and crumbled and then form the soil and become a place to grow other plants, well this is the answer why the lichen is called a pioneer vegetation.Overall, living lichen plants in forest areas or above ground can prevent erosion, reduce flood risk, and can also be useful for soil water absorption so as to provide water during the dry season. Likewise with dead lichen plants can be used to add organic substances in the soil so that the soil becomes more fertile and other plants and grow on it.
Based on existing data, the lichen can be used as an ingredient for household ornaments, medicines, materials for science and as a biological indicator for environmental degradation. Some examples of such usable lichen are Calymperes, Campylopus, and Sphagnum (Glime & Saxena, 1991 in Tan, 2003). In addition to being an environmental indicator, the presence of lichens in tropical rainforest plays an important role in growing organisms such as insects and rainwater reservoirs (Gradstein, 2003).
Sphagnum is sometimes used as an alternative medium for hatching crocodile eggs by crocodile farmers in the Philippines. Even the reported use of dried lichen as fuel and materials for the construction of houses in hot areas but this cannot be applied in Southeast Asia (Pant & Tewari, 1989 in Tan, 2003).
Lichen plant is often also used for landscaping and greenhouses. Another thing that has been done with this lichen is to use it as a medicinal ingredient. Based on the results of research in China, more than 40 types of lichen have been used by the Chinese community as ingredients of medicines mainly to treat the itching and other diseases caused by bacteria and fungi (Ding, 1982 in Tan 2003).
Sphagnum lichen is also a major component of fuel, which is mined for fuel use, as a plantation crop, and barley sprouts dried on Scotch Whiskey production. Sphagnum, usually a type of cristatum and subnitens, is harvested while it is growing and dried in use in a child's room children and horticulture as a growth medium.
Lichen plant lives on the rocks over time will cause the stone destroyed into the ground because rhizoid can penetrate the surface of the rock. Next, it will gradually form new soil as a place to grow other crops, because this is the lichen referred to as pioneer vegetation.
Lichen living in forests or above ground can prevent erosion, reduce flood hazards, and be able to absorb water to provide water during the dry season. Dead lichen can be utilized to bend organic substances in the soil so that the soil will become fertile and suitable for other plants.
Marchantia polymorpha to treat hepatitis, Sphagnum as a pad or substitute of a pass, if Spagnum added to the soil can absorb water and keep soil moisture. Lichen plants that have been known to benefit as drugs divided into two groups namely lichen liver and leaf lichen. Some of the lichen plants include:
1. Marchantia polymorpha is also known as lichen liver, it can be used as a hepatitis drug, eliminating toxins due to snake bites.
2. Conocephalum conicum, also including liverwort, serves as antibacterial, antifungal, treats burns and external wounds.
3. Frullania tamarisci is a liver of liver that can be used as an antiseptic drug.
4. Fissidens japonicum, a leaf lichen, can be used to help hair growth.
5. Rhodobryum giganteum, a type of leaf lichen that can treat high blood pressure and as a sedative or anesthetic.
6. Ciconeuron filicinum, including leaf lichen containing compounds to treat heart disease.
7. Haplocladium catillatum, a leaf lichen, is useful for treating pneumonia.
The role of lichen plant is as a producer in the ecosystem.
1. Sphagnum has the ability to turn waters into the land.
2. Sphagnum many also used as a substitute for cotton.
3. The dried Sphagnum waste is called peat, it can be used as fuel, as a mixture for loosening clay structures, as humus for the less powerful sandy soil that binds water, as the ingredients of paraffin and ammonia.
4. Lichen as a pioneer vegetation.
5. Lichen plants are instrumental in absorbing and retaining rainwater in forest areas.