Identification help - Cladonia fimbriata?

[Monkey Orchid]

Hi, folks.

I'm a complete lichen novice, would appreciate ID help with the specimen pictured below. I'm guessing Cladonia fimbriata?



All help welcomed.

[Hayseed]

It looks very much like C.fimbriata, with 'golf-tee' shaped podetia. However I'm new to lichens, so don't taKe my word for it. Have you had a look at Mike Sutcliffe's web-site at British Lichens ?

[Brent Leeks]

Yes it is, in fruit now everywhere in the countryside and the most Common Cladonia. there is a similar species that has and ice cream cone shape

[Monkey Orchid]

Thank you, Hayseed and Brent Leeks.

I've had a quick look at Mike Sutcliffe's website, too. A good resource, and easy to use. Thanks for the tip!

[AlanS]

Originally Posted by Monkey Orchid

Hi, folks.

I'm a complete lichen novice, would appreciate ID help with the specimen pictured below. I'm guessing Cladonia fimbriata?

All help welcomed.

Cladonia species often grow together, and there is even at least one one, fortunately not common, that grows within the thalli of other Cladonias.

So we actually have mixtures of species here.

Left: yes, this is good Cladonia fimbriata (yes, abruptly golf-tee shaped and smoothly sorediate)

Centre: the cups are C. fimbriata but we also see the spikes of C. coniocraea.

Right: two of the 'pixie-cup' lichens togther here. On the left-hand side is more C. fimbriata, but the larger cups on the right are more tapered, more granular, have squamules on the stalks and are beginning to proliferate from the margins. They are one of the Cladonia chlorophaea complex, but not true C. chlorophaea itself I feel. I absolutely will not ID any of this group without chemical testing, but it looks likely to be C. merochlorophaea. The same two species grow together on an old peat-bed outside my office window.

Alan

[Monkey Orchid]

Thank you for your detailed reply, Alan.

Lichens are a fascinating group, I look forward to getting to know more about them. I went on a walk in Burnham Beeches a couple of years ago with a lichen specialist and learned a lot... Unfortunately, most of which I have now forgotten! That's the trouble with being a general naturalist, everything is so interesting and there's so much to try to remember.