Cladonia is a genus of moss-like lichens in the family Cladoniaceae. They are the primary food source for reindeer/caribou. Cladonia species are of economic importance to reindeer-herders, such as the Sami in Scandinavia or the Nenets in Russia. Antibiotic compounds are extracted from some species to create antibiotic cream. The light green species Cladonia stellaris is used in flower decorations.
Cladonia asahinae, the pixie cup lichen or Asahina's cup lichen, is a species of cup lichen in the Cladoniaceae family. It grows on moss, particularly Chorisodontium aciphyllum, Polytrichum strictum, and Andreaea species. C. asahinae occurs in Europe, North America, and the southernmost part of South America. It also grows in the Antarctic.
Cladonia cristatella, commonly known as the British soldiers lichen or the British soldiers cup lichen, is a fruticose, cup lichen belonging to the family Cladoniaceae. The species was first described scientifically by American botanist Edward Tuckerman in 1858.
Cladonia parasitica, commonly known as the fence-rail cladonia, fence-rail cup lichen or parasite club lichen, is a species of fruticose, cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It was first described by Hoffmann in 1784 under the name Lichen parasiticus, until he reclassified it under the genus Cladonia in 1795.
Cladonia amaurocraea, commonly known as the quill lichen or the quill cup lichen, is a species of fruticose, cup lichen in the Cladoniaceae family.
Cladonia sobolescens, commonly known as the peg lichen, is a species of fruticose lichen. It is found in temperate eastern North America and East Asia.
Cladonia arbuscula or the shrubby cup lichen is a species of cup lichen in the Cladoniaceae family.
Cladonia botrytes or the wooden soldiers cup lichen is a species of cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Its habitat includes secondary xylem.
Cladonia bellidiflora or the toy soldiers cup lichen is a fruticose, cup lichen species in the Cladoniaceae family.
Cladonia caespiticia is a widespread and common species of fruticose, cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It was originally named Baeomyces caespiticius by German mycologist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon in 1794. Heinrich Gustav Flörke transferred it to the genus Cladonia in 1827. In North America, it is commonly known as the stubby-stalked Cladonia.
Cladonia turgida or the crazy-scale cup lichen is a species of cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae.
Cladonia coniocraea, commonly known as the common powderhorn or the powderhorn cup lichen, is a species of fruticose, cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It was first described by Heinrich Gustav Flörke in 1821 under the name Cenomyce coniocraea, until Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel reclassified it under the genus Cladonia in 1827.
Cladonia incrassata or the powder-foot British soldiers cup lichen is a species of cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Found in Europe and North America, it was formally described as a new species in 1828 by German botanist Heinrich Gustav Flörke. A colloquial name for the lichen is "powder-foot British soldiers".
Cladonia apodocarpa, also known as the stalkless cladoniais or the stalkless cup lichen, is a species of cup lichen in the Cladoniaceae family. Found in North America, it was described as a new species by Charles Albert Robbins in 1925.
Cladonia strepsilis or the olive cup lichen is a species of cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. In Iceland, where it is only found in a few locations in the Eastern Region, it is red listed as endangered (EN).
Cladonia rei, commonly known as the wand lichen, is a species of ground-dwelling, fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It is a widely distributed species, having been reported from Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and North America. It is identified by its slightly dirty-colored, rough-surfaced, slender podetia that grow up to 9 cm (3.5 in) tall. Diagnostic characters of the lichen include the continuously sorediate, green-and-brown-mottled, podetia that taper upward to a point, while chemically, it contains homosekikaic and sekikaic acids. Its reduced capacity to bioaccumulate toxic heavy metals from its surroundings, as well as its ability to switch photobiont partners, allows the lichen to colonize and survive highly polluted habitats. There are several other Cladonia species that are somewhat similar in appearance, but can be distinguished either by subtle differences in morphology, or by the secondary chemicals they contain.
