| Cladonia cristatella | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Lecanorales |
| Family: | Cladoniaceae |
| Genus: | Cladonia |
| Species: | C. cristatella |
| Binomial name | |
| Cladonia cristatella Tuck. (1858) | |
Cladonia cristatella, commonly known as the British soldiers lichen or the British soldiers cup lichen, [2] is a fruticose, cup lichen belonging to the family Cladoniaceae. The species was first described scientifically by American botanist Edward Tuckerman in 1858. [3] This lichen may be confused with other red-topped lichens including Cladonia leporina and Cladonia incrassata. [4]