False Pixie Cup
Cladonia chlorophaea
Description: One of many species of Pixie Cup Lichens. This is a highly variable species; generally it is a medium sized upright club lichen 1-1.5cm tall from clusters of gray basal squamules. The pale green, hollow clubs are unbranched, covered with powdery soredia, and they terminate in flaring cups which may or may not be ringed with brown apothecia.
Ecology: Found growing in acidic mediums such as moss and humus and acidic mineral soil, common in open sites at all elevations.
Notes: C. fimbriata (see below) is taller and more trombone shaped; C. pyxidata lacks soredia; C. deformis has more 'ruffled' cup edges and has red apothecia; and C. carneola has tan or pale brown apothecia and is a much yellower-green then the yellow-green of C. chlorophaea. These ones were found growing with mosses and other Cladonias on acidic granite rock at middle elevation near Carlson Lake.
Lipstick Cladonia
Cladonia macilenta
Description: A small club shaped lichen that is greyish pale green in colour, it is hollow with powdery soredia over its surface and characteristic bright red apothecia, as shown here. Grows 10-25mm tall.
Ecology: Common at low elevations only, found near the ground on conifer bark, logs, stumps, etc.
Notes: This one was found on an old growth Douglas Fir stump in West Sechelt, near a Creek, June 2001.
Cladonia bellidiflora
Description: Beautiful club lichen, heavily squalmulose (scaly), 1-3cm tall often bearing bright red, irregular shaped apothecia (fruiting bodies) at the tips that discolour to blackish red.
Ecology: Grows on mossy rocks, acidic soils, occasionally bark and wood. Found mostly in cool moist rocky outcrops and slopes, forests. More common near the coast and coastal mountains.
Notes: This one was found at middle elevation on a rocky outcrop near Carlson Lake, late March 2003.
Cladonia multiformis
Description: A small club lichen with highly variable cup shapes, this species is distinguished by its sieve-like openings in the cup interiors. Brown pycnidia are often present on the margins of the cups.
Ecology: Common in boreal forests and extending to the southwestern corner of BC. It is endemic to North America and is often found growing in clumps in peaty hummocks and dry peatlands.
Notes: This one was found growing with other Cladonias and a variety of mosses at middle elevation near Carlson Lake.
Cladonia fimbriata
Desciption: Medium sized upright club lichen, similar to False Pixie Cup but taller and more trombone shaped and with very fine soredia, 15-20mm tall.
Ecology: Fairly common on acidic mineral soils in open areas.
Notes: This one was found on a very old decaying log in the forest edge habitat at low elevation in West Sechelt, BC.
Cladonia ochrochlora OR Cladonia coniocraea
Description: Two similar species found in our area with similar looking intermediates which can be hard to distinguish as this one was. Typically C. ochrochlora has much larger almost undivided squamules while C. coniocraea has smaller finely dissected squamules. These were moderate in size and moderately divided. 1-3cm long podetia are elongated and simply pointed, may form very narrow cups.
Ecology: Common and widespread in a wide range of forests, coniferous forests especially for C. coniocraea. Found on tree bases, rotting wood and humus and sometimes on soil; in shaded and exposed habitats.
Notes: The distinction between these two species is recognized as being quite difficult and they are often combined as one, especially with transitional species. This is perhaps more likely to be C. ochrochlora because of its habitat – it was found at the edge of Chapman Creek at low elevation in Sechelt BC, it is a mixed deciduous and coniferous forest and this one was found growing on an alder tree that was nearly dead; October 2002 photo.
Dragon Cladonia
Cladonia squamosa
Description: A medium sized upright club lichen, 15-40mm tall from green squamules (basal scales), often branched, pale greenish and covered all over in tiny scales (squamules), occasionally terminate in narrow open cups that are sometimes ringed with brown apothecia.
Ecology: Found on mossy ground and decaying wood in open to shady sites at low and middle elevations, common.
Notes: This one was found growing on a roadside in a bunch of moss near Carlson Lake at middle elevation, it had terminal cups ringed with brown apothecia. February 2003 photo.
Sterocaulon tomentosum
Description: An upright fruticose lichen with a conspicuous silver-grey colour and heavily covered with lobed, granulars structures called phyllocladia, and tomentum, hence the name.
Ecology: Common in open coniferous forests and particularly abundant in old riverbeds, found at all elevations.
Notes: This one was found in a very old riverbed through coniferous forest at Carlson Lake, middle elevation.
Devil's Matchstick
Pilophorus acicularis
Description: A small club lichen growing 1-3cm tall arising from a thin whitish crust. The largely unbranched clubs are whitish or pale green, clustered and end in shiny black apothecia.
Ecology: Common on rocks in cool moist forests, especially on stream banks and near waterfalls; found at all forested locations. Widespread.
