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Cladonia ravenelii Tuck.
Little Pine Soldiers

Photo © Don Hunter, Charlton Co., Ga., 19 March 2018
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Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: G2G4

State Rank: SNR

Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: No

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

SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

2025 SGCN Priority Tier: None

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Upland and bottomland forests and woodlands with pine component


Description

Pale blue-green primary thallus (though soredia can appear yellow-green when wet), sometimes minute & scale-like, usually revolute, with some forming linear lobules (as in photo), though more commonly sorediate, with a variably maculate upper surface; larger squamules can form in bark cracks or in low-light situations, up to 1 mm long, appearing more feathery and loosely sorediate; podetia variable (often absent), 1-5 mm long, usually lumpy but corticate, simple to multi-branched, occasionally with patches of soredia, tipped with red apothecia or pycnicia, both of which can blacken (with age?); sterile thalli can be told by the small, revolute, bluish sorediate squamules; CHEMISTRY: K+ bright yellow (thamnolic acid); FIELD ID: unmistakable, especially if fertile; shape & color of squamules usually enough on sterile thalli, with experience

Similar Species

See accounts for Cladonia cristatella, C. abbreviatula, C. hypoxantha, C. incrassata; can be confused with Lepraria harrisiana if sterile thalli dissolve into sorediate masses, but the Lepraria is neater & bluer

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Upland & bottomland forests & woodlands with pine component; substrates: over 80% of records on Pinus, mostly bark, but also wood, detritus & cones; also found on Juniperus bark & wood, hardwood bark, Taxodium bark, & soil

Life History

Corticolous squamulose/fruticose lichenized fungus, photobiont a chlorococcoid alga in genus Trebouxia or Pseudotrebouxia

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Statewide

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Common to abundant status in Ga., where it is likely undersurveyed because small, usually sterile & often growing low on tree; species does not seem to deserve such a low G-rank, at least here

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

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

13 May 2022