The Malabar Botanical (MBG) Garden has commenced the work on setting up a lichen garden (house) to identify and conserve the lichen flora of Kerala. The project was launched by agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan, at a function held here on Wednesday.

Touted to be first-of-its-kind project in the state, MBG plans to conduct a detailed exploration and identification of lichens from different parts of the state, spanning over a period of three years, and subsequently establish a conservation repository of lichens in the garden. Officials said that the proposal to establish a lichen house assumed significance from the fact that, till date no substantial documentation had been carried out on lichens from the entire Kerala region.

“An exhaustive survey through various ecosystems in the state will definitely  identify more number of species from Kerala. Hence, it is necessary to explore the unexplored and under-explored areas to know the diversity and to develop suitable conservation measures,” MBG director R Prakashkumar said.

Further, he noted that a detailed study on the medicinal uses of lichen was inevitable, as the wonder group was known for the treatment of even some deadly diseases.

In the proposed project, investigations will be carried out in various phases, which include taxonomy, distribution and establishment of lichen conservatory by transplantation method.

Besides, the centre will also focus on the conservation of rare, endemic and endangered lichen species.