Cladonia islandica #

Taxon #

Cladonia islandica

Organization #

Clade Cladonia, Subclade Cladonia (Stenroos et al. 2018)

Identification #

A rare and little understood Cladonia, especially in Alaska, which was recently described of Iceland (Kristinsson & Ahti 2009). Recognized best by shiny olive to brown, esorediate, branched podetia. C. decorticata is probably confusbale with this species being similarly esorediate but with abundant microsquamules. C. islandica, however, is described as having long, divaricate branchlets which are present in the pictured material.

Substrate #

Mossy rocks, among heaths, woodland (Kristinsson & Ahti 2009), the spcimens we have found which match this species in the Seldovia area were lignicolous on beachside stumps of conifers.

Chemical Tests #

K-, Pd+ red

Notes #

Data deficient in Alaska and globally, more specimens needed. If utilizing online resources to read more about this species, care should be taken to ensure that information retrieved is not in reference to Cetraria islandica, which is more often queried by search engines in error than material about Cladonia islandica.

Photos #