Lichens growth on Sun Temple of Konark in Odisha, India- A curse or blessing

Abstract

The present observation on the famous Sun Temple of Konark, Odisha for Lichen growth revealed that a more than 500 different spots were found on main temple, small sculptures erected within the temple premises and boundary walls. A total of 15 species belonging 14 genera and 11 families were found growing on the sites surveyed. Ten lichen species tightly adhere to the substrate forming crust (crustose lichen) and producing secondary metabolites were dominated on almost all the sites while only four leafy (foliose lichen) species and one squamulose species were recorded.