Description
That strange crust on the rock, tree bark, or forest floor — what is it?
Lichen Identifier uses AI to name any lichen species in seconds from a single photo. Whether you're on a hike, doing fieldwork, studying ecology, or just curious about the natural world around you — get the species name, ecological role, habitat details, and more, instantly. The only app built exclusively for lichen.
KEY FEATURES
• INSTANT AI IDENTIFICATION
Point your camera at any lichen — on rock, bark, soil, wall, or leaf — and get the species name in seconds. No botany degree, no field guide, no expert knowledge required. Just a photo.
• THOUSANDS OF SPECIES COVERED
Our database spans the full range of lichen morphology: crustose (crust-forming), foliose (leaf-like), and fruticose (shrub-like) species from ecosystems worldwide — Arctic tundra, alpine cliffs, temperate forests, coastal bluffs, and tropical rainforest floors.
• DEEP ECOLOGICAL INSIGHTS
Every identification comes with rich detail: preferred habitat, global distribution, air pollution sensitivity, ecological function, and the relationship between the lichen's fungal and photosynthetic partners. Learn not just the name — learn the story.
• LICHEN COLLECTION
Save every identification to your personal collection. Build a growing record of everything you've found — species name, location, and date — and review it anytime, even offline.
• BUILT FOR EVERY SKILL LEVEL
From the weekend hiker who spotted something unusual to the professional lichenologist doing fieldwork — Lichen Identifier works for everyone. Clean interface. Fast results. No prior expertise needed.
• COMPLETELY PRIVATE
The developer does not collect any data from you. No account. No tracking. No ads. Your identifications are yours alone.
WHAT YOU CAN IDENTIFY
Lichen Identifier recognizes species across all major morphological groups:
— Crustose: flat, crust-like forms embedded in rock or bark
— Foliose: leafy, lobed lichens growing on trees and soil
— Fruticose: branching, shrub-like or hair-like forms
— Squamulose: small scale-like species on soil and rock
— Cyanolichens: species partnered with cyanobacteria instead of algae
From the cold rock faces of Scotland and Scandinavia to the ancient tree trunks of old-growth Pacific Northwest forests — wherever you are, Lichen Identifier works.
WHY LICHEN?
Lichens cover 8% of Earth's land surface. Some Arctic species are over 8,000 years old — among the oldest living organisms on the planet. They are nature's most sensitive air quality monitors: lichen diversity at a location directly reflects the cleanliness of its air. Where pollution is heavy, lichens disappear. Where air is clean, they thrive.
Yet for all their ecological importance, lichens remain one of the most under-identified organisms in the world. Most plant identifier apps pass right over them. Lichen Identifier was built to change that.
WHO USES LICHEN IDENTIFIER
• Hikers and outdoor enthusiasts curious about the natural world
• Botany and ecology students on field assignments
• Environmental scientists and air quality researchers
• Citizen scientists contributing to biodiversity records
• Nature photographers wanting accurate species names
• Anyone who has ever looked at a rock and wondered what's growing on it
Download free. Make your first identification today.
Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/ya1privacypolicy
Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/ya1termsofuse
What's new (v2.2.0)
Thanks a bunch for using Lichen Identifier, your go-to app for Lichen Scanning!
In this version there are several bug fixes, and performance optimizations and improvements.
Your feedback is super important to us — it fuels our passion for making this app even better. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, we'd love to hear them. Leave us a review or drop us a line.
Happy Lichen discovering!