Cladonia gracilis (L.) Willd. subsp. gracilis
Fl. Berol. Prodr.: 363, 1787. Basionym: Lichen gracilis L. - Sp. Pl., 2: 1152, 1753.
Synonyms: Cladonia chordalis (Flörke) Nyl.; Cladonia gracilis var. chordalis (Flörke) Schaer.
Description: Primary thallus squamulose, often persistent only at the base of podetia or ephemeral, the squamules ascending, small to middle-sized 2-5 mm long, 0.8-5 mm wide, irregularly crenate or lobed, glaucescent to olive-green above, white beneath. Podetia slender and elongate, hollow inside, greenish glaucescent in shade-forms to brownish grey or dark brown, non- or scarcely squamulose, 4-8(-12) cm tall, 0.5-1.5 mm thick (fertile podetia to 2 mm thick), unbranched or sparingly branched, pointed or with small, rapidly flaring, closed, toothed cups, smooth, corticate-areolate, the cortex continuous or disrupted into flat areoles separated by white lines. Apothecia rare, brown, convex, terminal or on the margins of cups. Asci 8-spored, clavate, thickened at apex, with a K/I+ blue tholus and a K/I+ strongly blue outer gelatinous sheath, Cladonia-type. Ascospores 1-celled, hyaline, ellipsoid. Pycnidia dark, semi-immersed, on the margins of the cups or at the tip of cupless podetia, with a colourless jelly. Conidia hyaline, curved. Photobiont chlorococcoid. Spot tests: K- or K+ yellowish slowly turning brown, C-, KC-, P+ red, UV-. Chemistry: substances of the fumarprotocetraric acid complex.
Growth form: Fruticose
Substrata: soil, terricolous mosses, and plant debris
Photobiont: green algae other than Trentepohlia
Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual
Commonnes-rarity: (info)
Alpine belt: rare
Subalpine belt: rare
Montane belt: very rare
Dry submediterranean belt: absent
Humid submediterranean belt: absent
Padanian area: absent
pH of the substrata:
1 2 3 4 5
Solar irradiation:
1 2 3 4 5
Aridity:
1 2 3 4 5
Eutrophication:
1 2 3 4 5
Poleotolerance:
0 1 2 3
Altitudinal distribution:
1 2 3 4 5 6
Rarity
absent
extremely rare
very rare
rare
rather rare
rather common
common
very common
extremely common
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Occurrence data
Predictive map
Current prediction (1981-2010)
Future prediction (2071-2100) SSP 1-2.6
Future prediction (2071-2100) SSP 5-8.5Predictive maps according to Francesconi et al. 2025
Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=306&lang=en
France, Menez, Kador

Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=306&lang=en
France, Menez, Kador

Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=306&lang=en
France, Menez, Kador
Growth form: Fruticose
Substrata: soil, terricolous mosses, and plant debris
Photobiont: green algae other than Trentepohlia
Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual
Commonnes-rarity: (info)
Alpine belt: rare
Subalpine belt: rare
Montane belt: very rare
Dry submediterranean belt: absent
Humid submediterranean belt: absent
Padanian area: absent
pH of the substrata:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Solar irradiation:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Aridity:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Eutrophication:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Poleotolerance:
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Altitudinal distribution:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Rarity
absent
extremely rare
very rare
rare
rather rare
rather common
common
very common
extremely common
Loading data...
Occurrence data
Predictive map



Predictive maps according to Francesconi et al. 2025

Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=306&lang=en
France, Menez, Kador

Bernard Bouffinier - Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=306&lang=en
France, Menez, Kador
