ITALIC 7.0

Cladonia stygia (Fr.) Ruoss

Botanica Helvetica, 95: 241, 1985. Basionym: Cladonia rangiferina f. stygia Fr. - Nov. Sched. Crit. Lich. Suec., 8-9, 3: 22, 1826.

Synonyms: Cladina stygia (Fr.) Ahti

Distribution:

Description: Primary thallus crustose, ephemeral, usually not visible. Podetia shrubby, hollow inside, ash-grey to bluish-grey, loosely attached and dying from the base, anisotomically (i.e. main branches thicker) tri- tetrachotomously branched, 4-10 cm tall, to 1(-2) mm thick, the surface esquamulose, ecorticate and minutely arachnoid; terminal branchlets divaricate or unilaterally deflexed, situated around an open or rarely closed axil; algal layer continuous, except at base, where it give rise to characteristic white areoles scattered over the melanotic medulla. Inner part of the main branches coal-black from the base to at least the first ramifications. Apothecia rare, terminal, brown, convex. 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 tips of podetia, with a reddish jelly. Conidia cylindrical. Photobiont chlorococcoid, Spot tests: K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ red, UV-. Chemistry: atranorin and fumarprotocetraric acid complex.

Note: a very rare, probably declining species of subalpine Sphagnum bogs. To be looked for in the Italian Alps.

Growth form: Fruticose

Substrata: soil, terricolous mosses, and plant debris

Photobiont: green algae other than Trentepohlia

Reproductive strategy: mainly asexual, by thallus fragmentation

Commonnes-rarity: (info)

Alpine belt: absent

Subalpine belt: absent

Oromediterranean belt: absent

Montane belt: absent

Submediterranean belt: absent

Padanian area: absent

Humid submediterranean belt: absent

Humid mediterranean belt: absent

Dry mediterranean belt: absent

pH of the substrata:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Solar irradiation:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Aridity:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Eutrophication:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Poleotolerance:

0

1

2

3

(info)

Altitudinal distribution:

1

2

3

4

5

6

(info)

Predictive model