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Cladonia verticillata or cervicornis

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  • October 5, 2026 at 4:53 pm #70926
    CraigPostlethwaite
    Participant

      The stacked cup Cladonia was found during a Strathclyde local group outing to Langlands Moss near East Kilbride. This is a raised peat bog with wide coverage of heathers. Although there is only a single layer of stacking I’m leaning towards C. verticillata because of the habitat. I dont have any experience of either option to allow me to make any judgement on the relative shapes of the squamules. Also the squamules in the sample I took look rather degraded. I hadn’t noticed that at the time. There is a 2003 record of C. verticillata just a few miles away over the border and into VC76. The previous 2 VC77 records are 30/40 miles further South.  Sample was Pd+ red.

      I’d appreciate any advice before I submit our records for the day.

       

       

      Stacked podetia

      • This topic was modified 3 days, 5 hours ago by CraigPostlethwaite. Reason: Photos didnt load first time
      October 8, 2026 at 8:17 pm #70928
      Neil Sanderson
      Senior Moderator

        Hi

        Not getting notifications of new threads, so missed this, but the simple answer is it not either Cladonia cervicornis or Cladonia verticillata. This is because it has a granular cortex; the Stacking Cups have a smooth cortex without granules or soralia and cups with a shallow flat base, see link & link.

        This is definitely something in the Cladonia chlorophaea s. lat. group link (proliferating podetia not uncommon in this group), but given the look (not green enough for typical Cladonia chlorophaea s. str.) and habitat (very acid) most likely one of Cladonia grayi group of species. Further spot test might get us closer, but probably unlikely to be definitive but look for UV fluorescence (bright blue-mauve would be Cladonia grayi s. str.) and test for any KC reaction (+ strong but fleeting wine red would be Cladonia cryptochlorophaea or Cladonia merochlorophaea).

        Neil

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