noun
Rare botanical term; the more common word is 地衣類 (ちいるい).
See also: 地衣類
地衣植物は菌類と藻類の共生体である。
Lichens are symbiotic organisms of fungi and algae.
地衣類 is the more common term for lichen; 地衣植物 is a rare synonym used mainly in botanical contexts.
Compound of 地衣 (chi'i, 'lichen') + 植物 (shokubutsu, 'plant'). The exact derivation of 地衣 is uncertain; it may be a calque from a Western language.