Cladonia gracilis #

Taxon #

Cladonia gracilis cf. ssp. gracilis, Cladonia gracilis ssp. elongata, Cladonia gracilis ssp. turbinata, Cladonia ssp. vulnerata

Organization #

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

Identification #

A species with many subspecies and forms. The nominate subspecies is not accepted for Alaska although there remain unresolved specimens which are of unclear identity which resemble C. gracilis ssp. gracilis (Spribille et al. 2023). C. elongata, as the epithet suggests, is the more elongated, and gracile of subspecies. C. gracilis spp. turbinata produces well-formed cups which are nearly always fertile with brown, convex apothecia along the cup rims. C. gracilis ssp. vulnerata has perforations along the podetia which resemble wounds from a blade. The more robust C. maxima can also have these perforations but usually at least some podetia are tipped with weak cups in that species. C. farinacea also has these perforations but that species is conspicuously covered in soredia. The thalli of all subspecies are lacking in soredia. The species and subspecies are ubiquitous in Alaska.

Chemical Tests #

K-, C-, KC-, Pd+ red, UV- (CLH)

Substrate #

Terricolous and lignicolous

Notes #

A ubiquitous species throughout Alaska (CLH, Spribille et al. 2023).

Photos #