Cladonia arbuscula

Description:

Fruticose lichen. One of the 'reindeer lichens' (subgenus Cladina), podetia sprawling to erect, in tufted mats, cream to pale greyish green when fresh, with patches of algal cells set in the cortex, greyish white when dry, ultimate branches brown, branches ± straight to recurved, all in one direction, ultimate branches generally in fours (tetrachotomous); pycnidia small, brown, containing colourless jelly, located on the branch tips, apothecia small, brown, rare. Generally in exposed heathland, on bog surfaces and on base-poor dunes, very often mixed with other members of subgenus Cladina, widespread in suitable habitats but generally more common in the north and west. On wet bog surfaces the podetia can become black below; such examples must not be confused with the rare C. stygia, noted for this character but also with more "woolly" (densely tomentose-downy) podetia and red pycnidial jelly.

Habitat:

Spotted on a moss covered granite stone wall

Notes:

Camera Model: NIKON D300 Exposure Time: 60 sec.; f/32.0; ISO Speed Rating: 200 Focal Length: 90.0 mm. Flash fired