Berry Lichen

Berry lichen is a prominent species that can be found growing in the wandering tunnels. It is unique in that it grows across the entirety of its biome, while most other species native to the tunnels are restricted to specific areas in which they grow and thrive. The berry lichen is farmed as a domesticated crop among the inhabiting folk of the tunnels, grown on layers of stone shelves that maximise the amount that can be grown in a given area.

Geographic Distribution

• Wandering Tunnels

Anatomy

Berry lichen is a dull and unsaturated greenish blue colour. It grows flat against the walls, floor, and ceiling of a cave, able to attach to stone, dirt, and wood, as well as a variety of other materials. It is notably absent from the walls of the Forever Fall, which are completely barren of even the most basic plant life.
The lichen has a somewhat flakey appearance, folding over on itself as it grows to create a rippled appearance. The lichen has an interesting method of dealing with excess magical energy in its vicinity: it absorbs this energy, and concentrates it into small portions of their surface area, which will then die and become bulbous. These bulbs are known as the lichen's "berries", and are edible to a select few species.
Lichen that is closer to the heart of the planet, rather than the surface, will grow more of these berries than those underneath the surface. However, they remain present anywhere that the lichen grows. There are theories that the luchen uses this excess energy as some form of nutrients, though this belief remains unsubstantiated within biological fields. However, having this plant in a high-magic area will help to clear out some of the volatile magical energies, making it a low-cost method high in supply to disinfect smaller areas.