Irish lichens

Cladonia ciliata var tenuis
Order: Lecanorales       Family: Cladoniaceae

Species: Cladonia ciliata var. tenuis

Primary thallus absent, secondary thallus fruticose.
Photos: Among moss on acidic rock. Inchigeela, Cork, SW Ireland.
Identified by John Douglass

No squamules. Well-branched (dichotomously) with axils rarely perforated. Podetia pale ashy-grey to green-grey in colour with brownish-purple tips that are turned down at ends and clearly orientated in one direction. Very variable.

Can form large patches among heather stems on heaths and bogs and amongst scree. K-, KC-, P+ red, UV-
Cladonia ciliata var. ciliata is less frequent, lacks usnic acid.

Similar: Cladonia portentosa P-


Cladonia ciliata var tenuis

Cladonia ciliata var tenuis
Cladonia ciliata var. tenuis October 2009

Please Contact me if you find errors. All images used are copyright.