Lichens are a class of organisms in which a fungus and an alga live together in an association frequently cited as the classic example of symbiosis. Only certain fungi and certain algae form lichens. No naturalistic means has been found for supposed evolutionary development of such an association, and attempts to synthesize lichens from component organisms have usually led to death of the alga. Where lichenixation has actually occurred in the laboratory, conditions have been carefully and intelligently contrived to bring about the association. The creationist view of the lichen association is the one which best fits lichen synthesis data.