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Cladonia cristatella
British Soldiers Lichen is a tiny lichen often standing less than a centimeter (1/2 inch) tall. It's fruiting cap is what gives this lichen its name.
I find it in unusual places, such as dry sandy patches of sunlit ground or on split rail cedar fencing.
Spotted on May 18, 2011
Submitted on May 18, 2011
12 Comments
Carol, It would make a very tiny bouquet...grin. They are one of my favorite lichens....very distinctive.
Oh my! I didn't click the second photo. Stunning! I can''t believe it! Just gorgeous. I want a bouquet.
What an unusual name. Cool! Where r the minute men? HA!
E.O. Wilson once made the comment that it is the little things that run the world. I enjoy looking at and studying and photographing the little things.
I love minutiae and this one of my favorites of all time. Wonerful photos.
Great Spot Gordon, and thanks for sharing some technique.
Even as we go about with eyes wide open looking for new things to "spot" we tread upon others.
This lichen is very short and I've often photographed it by laying on the ground and placing the camera on the ground to get this low angle. Getting to the same level as your subject places viewers into the world of that subject and gives a viewer a unique perspective into the life of the subject. In this particular instance, I found a piece broken off from the ground, probably by someone or something stepping on it and photographed it in my portable studio at a much more comfortable height!
That's so cool... and I love the name!! What bright lichen, I've never seen anything like that before :) Love the vivid photos!
I think Lichen found anywhere surprisingly so its classified separately.. Eveything of Lichen is spectacular. Thanks Gordon for sharing..
beautiful picture! It's amazing that lichen are a symbiosis of a fungi and algae!
Amazing thing..
You must have been crawling along the ground! These are tiny lichen?