On the farm numerous plant- or leaflike patterns appear on or against rocks and cliffs, varying in colour from white, yellow, green, orange to various shades of brown. As shown on the above picture, some look like flowers. In fact they are live organisms called lichens (Afr. korsmos*).  Superficially they look like single organisms, but it is actually a symbiotic relationship between a fungal partner (Afr. swam, skimmel *), and a photosynthetic partner(s), generally green algae (Afr. wier *). There are various types most of which on the farm are leaflike in appearance.

Lichens absorb most of their mineral nutrients from the air and moisture from mist, which frequently occurs, and rain. Pollution in the atmosphere is therefore dangerous to lichens. Lichens have been used to monitor the amount of pollutants in the environment. The abundance of lichens on Vlakfontein therefore testify to the absence of pollution in the atmosphere.

* Bilingual Dictionary/Tweetalige Woordeboek (Bosman, van der Merwe, Hiemstra.)