description Cladonia chlorophaea Overview
Cladonia chlorophaea is a species of lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Its primary thallus consists of small leaf-like scales, while upright podetia commonly form brownish or gray-green cups that may produce soredia along their margins. The species is associated with soil, humus, moss, and decaying wood, including habitats disturbed by fire, forestry, or other ground disturbance.
help Cladonia chlorophaea FAQ
What do the brown cups on Cladonia chlorophaea actually represent?
They are cup-shaped podetia, the upright fungal structures that give this lichen its pixie-cup appearance. In Cladonia chlorophaea, the podetia are often brown and can produce additional growth from the cup margins.
Where does Cladonia chlorophaea usually grow?
It commonly colonizes decaying logs, stumps, humus, and disturbed soil. Its ability to establish on decomposing wood makes it a familiar lichen in woodland clearings and altered ground.
Is Cladonia chlorophaea a moss or a plant?
No. It is a lichen, a partnership between a fungus and a photosynthetic organism, while moss is a separate type of plant.
Why do some Cladonia chlorophaea cups appear to grow smaller cups from their rims?
The species can proliferate from the margins of its podetia, producing a branching or stacked-cup appearance. That growth habit is one of the useful visual clues when examining a brown cup lichen.
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