ASCOMYCOTA | LECANOROMYCETES > LECANORALES > Cladoniaceae

Common name:             Dragon Cladonia

Synonyms:                     -

Habitat:                           Heathland

Substrata:                       Acid soil, peat, stumps and rotting wood      

Growth forms:                Terricolous, lignicolous          

Basal thallus:                  Squamulose, rarely persistent

Secondary thallus:         Podetia, pointed or with narrow cups

Apothecia:                     Rare

BLS identity rating:        Graded 1/5 (see note)

Basal squamules small and indented, usually forming a dense mat, but often disappearing early; it is also not unusual for the primary thallus to be obscured or buried under adjacent low-growing vegetation, such that only the upper portion of the podetia are showing.

Podetia variable with different growth forms; normally pointed or with narrow cups, although sometimes just giving the appearance of being poorly developed; mostly around 30-50mm tall, irregularly branched with the apices pointing in all directions; the surface is covered in numerous peeling squamules with pale whitish undersides, often leaving extensive decorticate velvet-like areas; colour varies from pale grey-green to pale grey-brown, or looking rather grey-bluish in shade; scyphi often absent but, where present, narrow, perforate, dentate or widening out abruptly with the centre of the podetium becoming open or split; in some well-developed heathland morphs the scyphi may reach 4mm dia., showing a glossy chestnut interior.

Apothecia rare, brown and small, at the apices, singularly or, if well-developed, possibly in bulbous clusters; pycnidia where present, also brown and small.

Mainly found on heathland, especially in well-lit areas that offer some cover, but also in open woodland on earth banks, old stumps, rotting wood or, occasionally, on mossy rocks alongside streams.

Although they are not always recognised, there are two described variant forms of Cladonia squamosa, the nominate form, var.squamosa as generally described above, and var.subsquamosa, that is said to be more robust and more squamulose. Identification of these different forms is a bit more involved requiring spot testing.