Cladonia prostrata

Cladonia prostrata A. Evans
Great Resurrection-scale

Photo © Giff Beaton, Emanuel Co., Ga., 13 February 2019

Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: G2G3

State Rank: S1S2

Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: No

SWAP 2015 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes

2025 SGCN Priority Tier: Highest Conservation Concern

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Xeric relict-dune woodlands on E side of Ohoopee and Little Ohoopee rivers

Description

Rich green primary thallus entirely composed of rosette of large squamules with bright white undersides; squamules are lacy and deeply divided, up to 5 cm long, curled to expose undersides when dry and unfurled when wet; FIELD ID: unmistakable

Similar Species

None

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Xeric relict-dune woodlands on E side of Ohoopee & Little Ohoopee rivers, in complex with other lichens, bryophytes and spikemoss (Bryodesma), attached to detritus or biotic soil crust, or vagrant on sand

Life History

Terricolous squamulose lichenized fungus, photobiont a chlorococcoid alga in genus Trebouxia or Pseudotrebouxia

Survey Recommendations

Survey other portions of the Ohoopee R. xeric dune system

Range

Coastal Plain (Emanuel Co.)

Threats

Inappropriate fire management practices; development

SWAP 2025 Threat Matrix

Threat 1 Threat 2 Threat 3

General Threat Transportation & service corridors Natural system modifications Residential & commercial development

Specific Threat Roads & railroads Fire & fire suppression Commercial & industrial areas

	Threat 1	Threat 2	Threat 3
General Threat	Transportation & service corridors	Natural system modifications	Residential & commercial development
Specific Threat	Roads & railroads	Fire & fire suppression	Commercial & industrial areas

Georgia Conservation Status

Rare in Ga., known from only 3 populations, 1 of which is protected; our occurrences are likely the northernmost & disjunct, with the bulk of populations along the Gulf Coast in dunes from Ala. E along the Fla. panhandle coast, & in the central Fla. peninsula (especially the Lake Wales Ridge, which shares many species with the Ohoopee Dunes system)

Conservation Management Recommendations

Ironically the protected population is the most threatened, because it the only one fire-managed; inappropriate ignition practices have reduced the population, although fire properly applied is likely not harmful to the species in general; firebreaks should be placed such that they go around rather than through populations, and interior ignition should be avoided in such xeric habitat where fire spread would naturally be patchy

SWAP 2025 Conservation Actions:

Action 1: Protect key populations using land acquisition or easements
Action 2: Provide technical and/or financial support to landowners to help them manage rare species and habitats on their property
Action 3: Complete a distributional survey to assess current range, conservation status or to identify best populations

References

Brodo, I. M. 2001. Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Brodo, I. M. 2016. Keys to lichens of North America: revised and expanded. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Esslinger, T. L. 2021. A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. Version 24. Opuscula Philolichenum 20: 100-394.

Harris, R. C. 1995. More Florida lichens including the 10-cent tour of the pyrenolichens. Unpublished manuscript, Bronx, N.Y.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

23 July 2022