Minnesota Seasons - British Soldier Lichen

Conservation • Description • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy


Conservation Status
IUCN Red List	not listed
NatureServe	NNR - Unranked
Minnesota	not listed

Photo by Crystal Boyd

Description

The large size, gray, branching stalks, and red caps make this possibly the most recognized species of lichen in North America.

Similar Species

Ecology

Substrate

Ground

Growth Form

Fruticose

Habitat

Wet to dry. Low light to 90% ambient light. Pollution tolerant.

Hosts

Decaying wood, leafy debris, soil, mossy logs, tree bases, and stumps.


Distribution
		Sources 4, 7, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77, 81.
11/24/2024

Occurrence
Widespread and common


Taxonomy
Kingdom	Fungi (fungi including lichens)
Subkingdom	Dikarya
Phylum	Ascomycota (sac fungi)
Subphylum	Pezizomycotina
Class	Lecanoromycetes (common lichens)
Subclass	Lecanoromycetidae (shield lichens, sunburst lichens, rosette lichens, and allies)
Order	Lecanorales (shield lichens, rim lichens, and allies)
Suborder	Lecanorineae
Family	Cladoniaceae (spindles and structured lichens)
Genus	Cladonia (pixie cup and reindeer lichens)
Mycobiont	Cladonia cristatella
Photobiont	Trebouxia erici

Subordinate Taxa


Synonyms


Common Names
British Soldier Lichen British Soldier Lichens British Soldiers Scarlet-crested Cladonia


Visitor Photos

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Nancy Falkum


Dustin Hancock

Crystal Boyd


MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Camera

Slideshows

British Soldier Lichen
Andree Reno Sanborn

About

Cladonia cristatella

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

British soldier lichen - Random Nature 5
Nature, Here and Now! - Chris Egnoto

About

Jun 14, 2020

#lichen #brittishsoldierlichen #redcoatlichen Lichens have always fascinated me. One of my favorite species is one you have likely seen before. It is Brittish soldier lichen (Cladonia cristatella), also known as Redcoats lichen. These, like all lichen, are a partenership between algae and fungus. This is just a teaser for one of my future videos.

Лишайник. British Soldier Lichen (Cladonia cristatella)
Olexia &Pankivka,USA .

About

Nov 9, 2019

#Лишайник. #British_Soldier_Lichen #Cladonia_cristatella #Pankivka. #Parrottsville #tennessee

#Паньківка. #Парроттсвіль. #Теннессі #життявсша #життя_в_Америці

(Cladonia cristatella) British soldier lichen, Red soldier lichen.
Anangke

About

Published on Sep 11, 2013

I saw these and thought they were so vivid and pretty. Sorry the video was shaky. It's the best I can do. I even used a mono-pod.

Cladonia cristatella, British soldier lichen, Red tipped Lichen, lichen, fruticose lichen,

Camcorder


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