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Cladonia uncialis (L.) Weber ex Wigg.
Thorn Cladonia
Federal Protection: No US federal protection
State Protection: No Georgia state protection
Global Rank: G5
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:
Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0
Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Rock outcrops, xeric sandhills, roadsides
Pale yellow-green to gray-green thallus made up entirely of many-branched podetia; branches thick, corticate (surface somewhat glossy, hard, not webby), tapering rapidly at tips to resemble thorns; some axils perforated; tufts rounded, with even surface, dense; CHEMISTRY: thallus KC+ gold (usnic acid), sometimes with medulla UV+ blue-white (+/- squamatic acid); FIELD ID: branch thickness intermediate between C. subtenuis & C. caroliniana (whiter); comparison with either or both should allow ID, with experience
Cladonia rangiferina, C. sandstedei & C. subtenuis have finer branches, are without a cortex (webby surface, not semi-glossy), & form larger tufts; C. caroliniana is whiter, with much thicker branches
None
Rock outcrops, xeric sandhills, roadsides, on silicious rock, soil
Terricolous fruticose lichenized fungus, photobiont a chlorococcoid alga in genus Trebouxia or Pseudotrebouxia
None
Cumberland Plateau, Southern Blue Ridge, Piedmont
Unknown
Rare
None
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.
Malcolm Hodges
28 November 2022