The Cladoniaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Lecanorales. It is one of the largest families of lichen-forming fungi, with about 560 species distributed amongst 17 genera. The reindeer moss and cup lichens (Cladonia) belong to this family. The latter genus, which comprises about 500 species, forms a major part of the diet of large mammals in taiga and tundra ecosystems. Many Cladoniaceae lichens grow on soil, but others can use decaying wood, tree trunks, and, in a few instances, rocks as their substrate. They grow in places with high humidity, and cannot tolerate aridity.
Cladia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Cladoniaceae. Cladia species have a crustose or squamulose (scaly) primary thallus and a fruticose, secondary thallus, often referred to as pseudopodetium. The type species of the genus, Cladia aggregata, is widely distributed, occurring in South America, South Africa, Australasia and South-East Asia to southern Japan and India. Most of the other species are found in the Southern Hemisphere.
Pilophorus acicularis, commonly known as the nail lichen or the devil's matchstick lichen, is a species of matchstick lichen in the family Cladoniaceae.
Cladonia mongkolsukii is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Described as new to science in 2011, it is found in lower-elevation montane scrub forests of northeast Thailand and in Sri Lanka. The specific epithet honors Pachara Mongolsuk, a Thai lichenologist.
Lichens are symbiotic organisms made up of multiple species: a fungus, one or more photobionts and sometimes a yeast. They are regularly grouped by their external appearance – a characteristic known as their growth form. This form, which is based on the appearance of vegetative part of the lichen, varies depending on the species and the environmental conditions it faces. Those who study lichens (lichenologists) have described a dozen of these forms: areolate, byssoid, calicioid, cladoniform, crustose, filamentous, foliose, fruticose, gelatinous, leprose, placoidioid and squamulose. Traditionally, crustose (flat), foliose (leafy) and fruticose (shrubby) are considered to be the three main forms. In addition to these more formalised, traditional growth types, there are a handful of informal types named for their resemblance to the lichens of specific genera. These include alectorioid, catapyrenioid, cetrarioid, hypogymnioid, parmelioid and usneoid.
Cladonia sobolescens, commonly known as the peg lichen, is a species of fruticose lichen. It is found in temperate eastern North America and East Asia.
Cladonia arbuscula, also referred to as shrubby cup lichen or green reindeer lichen, is a species of cup lichen in the family Cladoniaceae.
Punctelia perreticulata is a widely distributed species of foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. It occurs in Mediterranean Europe and Russia, North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand, where it grows on rocks, bark, or wood. Its main distinguishing features are its thallus surface, marked with many shallow depressions, grooves, or pits, and sorediate pseudocyphellae. The lower side of the thallus is ivory to tan towards the centre and the major secondary metabolite in the medulla is lecanoric acid. A lookalike species with which it has been historically confused is Punctelia subrudecta; this lichen can be distinguished from Punctelia perreticulata by the texture of the thallus surface, or, more reliably, by the length of its conidia.
Pulchrocladia retipora, commonly known as the coral lichen, is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Found predominantly in Australasia, its habitats range from the Australian Capital Territory to New Zealand's North and South Islands, and even the Pacific region of New Caledonia, where it grows in coastal and alpine heathlands. The lichen features coral-like branches and subbranches with numerous intricate, netlike perforations. It is known by multiple names, with some sources referring to it by its synonym Cladia retipora, or the common name lace lichen.
Cladonia trassii is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It has a circumpolar distribution and is found in arctic/alpine and subarctic habitats.
Hypogymnia pruinoidea is a species of foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. Found in China, it was formally described as a new species in 2012 by Xin-Li Wei and Jiang-Chun Wei. The type specimen was collected from Mt. Taibaishan (Shaanxi) at an elevation of 2,800 m (9,200 ft), where it was found growing on the trunk of Abies. It is only known to occur at this location, a cool and moist montane environment supporting lichen-rich forests and woodlands. The species epithet refers to the pruinose upper thallus surface and lobe tips.
Cladonia longisquama is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It occurs in the Seychelles, where it grows on moss-covered rocks.
Cladonia vescula is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It is known for its small size and unique chemical composition. It can be found in the montane cloud forests and pre-Andean Amazonian forests of Bolivia and Peru, where it grows on mineral soil mixed with humus. This species closely resembles Cladonia peziziformis and Cladonia corymbosula in morphology, but it is more slender and almost entirely lacking a cortex.
Cladonia lutescens is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It occurs in high-altitude conditions of the Himalayas.
Placomaronea kaernefeltii is a rare species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling) lichen in the family Candelariaceae. Found in South America, it was formally described as a new species in 2009 by lichenologists Martin Westberg, Patrik Frödén, and Mats Wedin. The type specimen was collected by the second author from Arica (Chile), between Socoroma and Putre, at an altitude of 3,750 m (12,300 ft), where it was found growing along cracks and pits on a siliceous boulder in a dry mountain slope. The lichen is only known to occur at its type locality, although the authors suggest a wider distribution is likely. The species epithet honours Swedish lichenologist Ingvar Kärnefelt.
Placomaronea minima is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling) crustose lichen in the family Candelariaceae. Found in South America and Southern Africa, it was formally described as a new species in 2009 by lichenologists Martin Westberg and Patrik Frödén. The type specimen was collected by the second author from the Santiago Metropolitan Region (Chile) at an altitude of about 1,200 m (3,900 ft), where it was found growing on rocks on a hill outside of San José de Maipo. The species epithet minima refers to its small size.
Cladonia glacialis is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Found in Iceland, it was described as a new species in 2009 by Hördur Kristinsson and Teuvo Ahti. The first author collected the type specimen in 1979 from Arnarfellsmúlar at an elevation of 600 m (2,000 ft). This type locality is on the southeast side of Múlajökull, which is an outlet glacier of the Hofsjökull ice cap. Cladonia glacialis is only known to occur at the type locality. It contains fumarprotocetraric acid as its major lichen product. The authors suggest that the species belongs to the "supergroup" Cladonia, and that it may be closely related to Cladonia phyllophora.
Cladonia monomorpha is a species of terricolous (ground-dwelling), fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It is part of the Cladonia pyxidata group, known for brown apothecia on cup-shaped podetia.
Cladonia cayennensis is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It is found in French Guiana, although the authors suggest that its distribution might be more widespread.
Cladonia flavocrispata is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Found in Venezuela and described as a new species in 2013, it is closely related to Cladonia hians, but is distinguished by its unique chemical composition and morphology.
