Cladonia rangiferina, also known as reindeer cup lichen, reindeer lichen or grey reindeer lichen, is a light-coloured fruticose, cup lichen species in the family Cladoniaceae. It grows in both hot and cold climates in well-drained, open environments. Found primarily in areas of alpine tundra, it is extremely cold-hardy.
Cladonia is a genus of moss-like lichenized fungi 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.
The Cladoniaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Lecanorales, comprising about 560 species distributed amongst 18 genera. This family is one of the largest among lichen-forming fungi and is globally distributed, from Arctic tundra to tropical rainforests, favouring humid environments while being intolerant of arid conditions. Molecular phylogenetics has significantly advanced the understanding of their complex taxonomic history, revealing intricate evolutionary relationships and leading to a refined classification. Notable members include reindeer moss and cup lichens of the genus Cladonia, which consist of about 500 species and forms a significant part of the diet for large mammals in taiga and tundra ecosystems.
Cladonia portentosa, also known as reindeer lichen or the cream cup lichen, is a light-coloured, fruticose, cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae.
Cladonia asahinae, the pixie cup lichen or Asahina's cup lichen, is a species of cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. C. asahinae occurs in Europe, North America, southern South America, and the Antarctic. It typically grows in high moisture environments in soil rich in humus or on dead wood.
Ochrolechia is a genus of crustose lichens in the family Ochrolechiaceae. These lichens typically form uneven, often thick, crust-like growths on various surfaces and are characterised by their white to pale grey thalli, which may have a greenish tint. The genus has a long evolutionary history, with fossils dating back to the Paleogene period, about 34 million years ago. Ochrolechia species have disc-like apothecia, which are usually yellowish or brownish-pink and often covered with a fine white powdery coating. The genus is widely distributed and includes both common and rare species, with some found in extreme environments such as arctic and alpine regions. Ochrolechia lichens produce diverse secondary metabolites, including orcinol depsides, depsidones, and xanthones.
Cladonia fimbriata or the trumpet cup lichen is a species cup lichen belonging to the family Cladoniaceae.
Lichens are symbiotic organisms made up of multiple species: a fungus, one or more photobionts and sometimes a yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a characteristic known as their growth form. This form, which is based on the appearance of vegetative part of the lichen, varies depending on the species and the environmental conditions it faces. Those who study lichens (lichenologists) have described a dozen of these forms: areolate, byssoid, calicioid, cladoniform, crustose, filamentous, foliose, fruticose, gelatinous, leprose, placoidioid and squamulose. Traditionally, crustose (flat), foliose (leafy) and fruticose (shrubby) are considered to be the three main forms. In addition to these more formalised, traditional growth types, there are a handful of informal types named for their resemblance to the lichens of specific genera. These include alectorioid, catapyrenioid, cetrarioid, hypogymnioid, parmelioid and usneoid.
Cladonia arbuscula, also referred to as shrubby cup lichen or green reindeer lichen, is a species of cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae.
Cladonia deformis, also known as the lesser sulphur cup or the lesser sulphur cup lichen, is a light-coloured, fruticose, cup lichen belonging to the family Cladoniaceae. This lichen was first described as Lichen deformis by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, and transferred to the genus Cladonia in 1796 by Georg Franz Hoffmann.
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 coccifera or madame's cup lichen is a species of fruticose, cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It was first described by Swedish lichenologist Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 work Species Plantarum. German botanist Carl Ludwig Willdenow transferred it to the genus Cladonia in 1787. The lichen has apothecia and bright red pycnidia atop of yellowish to grey-green podetia that are 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) high. The base of the thallus comprises rounded squamules (scales) with a yellow to orange-brown undersurface. It typically occurs on acidic peaty and sandy soils.
Cladonia uncialis is a species of fruticose, cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It was first described as a new species by Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus in 1753. It was transferred to the genus Cladonia by Friedrich Heinrich Wiggers in 1780. In North America, the lichen is colloquially known as the thorn Cladonia or the thorn cup lichen.
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).
Lichenoconium pyxidatae is a species of lichenicolous fungus belonging to the class Dothideomycetes. It has a Holarctic distribution being found in Alaska and various parts of Russia, including Siberia, Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya and Wrangel Island.
Cladonia sulphurina is a species of cup lichen belonging to the family Cladoniaceae.
Cladonia homosekikaica is a species of cup lichen belonging to the family Cladoniaceae. It was formally described as a new species by Japanese lichenologist Mariko Nuno in 1975.
Cladonia alpina is a species of fruticose lichen that is in the family Cladoniaceae. It has been found in Japan, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
Candelariella lichenicola is a rare species of lichenicolous (lichen-dwelling) fungus in the family Candelariaceae. This species was first found in Sonora, Mexico, and is characterised by its distinct spore shape and chemical composition. It is typically found growing on the lichen species Candelina submexicana, and while not widespread, it contributes to the ecological diversity of the regions it inhabits.
Cladonia appalachensis is a species of lichen-forming fungus in the family Cladoniaceae, native to the southern Appalachians region in the United States. Described as a new species in 2013, its distribution is limited to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it grows exclusively on Anakeesta rock outcrops along the ridge separating North Carolina and Tennessee. Due to its limited distribution and shrinking population, C. appalachensis is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
