Edible lichen

Two freshly cooked loaves of wila (Bryoria fremontii), an edible lichen that is an important traditional food for some indigenous peoples in North America

Edible lichens are lichens that have a cultural history of use as a food. Although almost all lichen are edible (with some notable poisonous exceptions like the wolf lichen, powdered sunshine lichen, and the ground lichen[1]), not all have a cultural history of usage as an edible lichen.[2][3] Often lichens are merely famine foods eaten in times of dire needs,[4] but in some cultures lichens are a staple food or even a delicacy. Some lichens are a source of vitamin D.[5]

  1. ^ "Ground Lichens: A Dietary and Cultural Perspective". Equal To Green-Equate yourself to goodness. 2024-06-13. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference usfs_lichen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference etw_reindeermoss was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Etkin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Björn, L. O.; Wang, T. (2000). "Vitamin D in an ecological context". International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 59 (1): 26–32. ISSN 1239-9736. PMID 10850004.