Loading profile. Please wait . . .

---

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 High Priority Species (SGCN): No

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Rock outcrops, roadsides, montane woodlands

---

Description

Gray-green to brown (depending on sun exposure) podetia 1-5 cm tall, corticate, made up of shallow cups ringed with brown pycnidia or apothecia & occasionally squamules (lower cups?), proliferating from their centers, both singly and in multiples of new cups, creating tiers of successive levels; primary thallus consisting of small squamules, disappearing; FIELD ID: distinctive morphology makes for easy ID, given lack of overlap with lookalike C. rappii

Similar Species

Cladonia rappii is the only similar species, but it is found in Coastal Plain sandhills & swamps; it is slenderer & daintier than C. verticillata, and has flatter bottoms to cups

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Rock outcrops, roadsides, montane woodlands, on silicious rock, soil; 1 record from hardwood bark

Life History

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

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Southern Blue Ridge & Cumberland Plateau; disjunct on Piedmont granitic outcrops

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Uncommon

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.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

25 July 2022