Minnesota Seasons - Dragon Horn

Conservation • Description • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

NNR - Unranked
SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

Description

Dragon Horn is a common and highly variable lichen. Its distribution is widespread but scattered. It occurs worldwide on every continent except Antarctica. In the United States it occurs east on the Great Plains and on the West Coast, with a few scattered populations in between. It is found in moist, shaded, sheltered areas in woodlands. It grows on the ground among mosses on soil, rocks, rotting wood, or plant debris, and at the bases of trees.

Dragon Horn produces two types of vegetative growth (thallus). The primary thallus is a leaf-like scale (squamule) that lies on the soil. The squamules are numerous but often small and inconspicuous, 1⁄16″ to ¼″ (2 to 6 mm) long, and 1⁄32″ to ⅛″ (1 to 3 mm) wide. The margins are deeply indented (incised) forming narrow, often coral-like lobes. The upper surface is light grayish green and the lower surface is white. The squamules form dense mats and they are persistent, remaining as the secondary thallus matures.

The secondary thallus (podetium) is extremely variable in shape and size. It is a slender, hollow, greenish gray to dark brown stalk that rises from the center of a basal squamule. It can be ¾″to 5½″ (2 to 14 cm) tall and 1⁄64″ to 3⁄16″ (0.5 to 5.0 mm) thick, but it is usually no more than 2¾″ (7 cm) tall and 1⁄16″ (2 mm) thick. It may have 2 to a few branches or be unbranched. The tips are usually pointed and there are openings (perforations) at the tips and the axils. Sometimes the openings are expanded, funnel-like, with apothecia (reproductive structures) clustered around the opening. The protective outer layer (cortex) breaks up above the base, above which the podetia surface is covered with abundant squamules, microsquamules, and granules. The squamules are up to ¼″ (6 mm) long and are deeply lobed, almost finger-like. They are upturned and overlapping, and they often hide the openings. They sometimes appear granulose.

Apothecia are uncommon. When present, they are brown, convex, and 1⁄16″ to ⅛″ (2 to 3 mm) in diameter.

Similar Species

Ecology

Substrate

Ground

Growth Form

Fruticose

Habitat

Moist, shaded areas in woodlands

Hosts

Distribution
		Sources 7, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77, 81. Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 12/13/2025).
121/13/2025

Occurrence
Common

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi (Fungi)

Subkingdom

Dikarya

Phylum

Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)

Subphylum

Pezizomycotina (Sac Fungi and Lichens)

Class

Lecanoromycetes (Common Lichens)

Subclass

Lecanoromycetidae (Shield Lichens, Sunburst Lichens, Rosette Lichens, and Allies)

Order

Lecanorales (Shield Lichens, Rim Lichens, and Allies)

Family

Cladoniaceae (Spindles and Structured Lichens)

Genus

Cladonia (Pixie Cup and Reindeer Lichens)

Mycobiont

Cladonia squamosa

Photobiont

green algae other than Trentepohlia

Subordinate Taxa

Cladonia squamosa is common, widespread, and very variable lichen. Many subspecies, varieties, and forms have been described. Populations in which the thallus is more robust and more densely covered with squamules, and that reacts differently to applied chemistry, have been treated as Cladonia subsquamosa or Cladonia squamosa var. subsquamosa. However, it is considered a chemotype of Cladonia squamosa because the difference in morphology is questionable and the two acids that react differently are very closely related. No subspecies, varieties, or forms are currently recognized, all are treated as synonyms.

Synonyms

Baeomyces pleolepis

Baeomyces sparassus

Baeomyces squamosus

Baeomyces trachynus var. pleolepis

Capitularia sparassa

Cenomyce allotropa var. sparassa

Cenomyce sparassa

Cenomyce squamosa

Cenomyce squamosa var. muricella

Cenomyce squamosa var. squamosissima

Cladonia degenerans var. pleolepidea

Cladonia degenerans var. pleolepis

Cladonia delicata var. subsquamosa

Cladonia denticollis

Cladonia muricella

Cladonia pityrea var. subsquamosa

Cladonia sparassa

Cladonia sparassa var. denticollis

Cladonia squamosa ssp. denticollis

Cladonia squamosa ssp. fascicularis

Cladonia squamosa ssp. frondosa

Cladonia squamosa ssp. mucronata

Cladonia squamosa ssp. multibrachiata

Cladonia squamosa ssp. muricella

Cladonia squamosa ssp. phyllocoma

Cladonia squamosa ssp. phyllopoda

Cladonia squamosa ssp. pityrea

Cladonia squamosa ssp. squamosa

Cladonia squamosa ssp. squamosissima

Cladonia squamosa ssp. subsquamosa

Cladonia squamosa ssp. tenellula

Cladonia squamosa ssp. turfacea

Cladonia squamosa var. allosquamosa

Cladonia squamosa var. denticollis

Cladonia squamosa var. frondosa

Cladonia squamosa var. levicorticata

Cladonia squamosa var. multibrachiata

Cladonia squamosa var. muricella

Cladonia squamosa var. phyllocoma

Cladonia squamosa var. polychonia

Cladonia squamosa var. sparassa

Cladonia squamosa var. squamosa

Cladonia squamosa var. squamosissima

Cladonia squamosa var. subsquamosa

Cladonia squamosa var. turfacea

Cladonia subsquamosa

Coenomyce sparassa

Lichen cornutus var. squamosus

Lichen pleolepis

Lichen sparassus

Lichen squamosus

Patellaria caespitosa

Schasmaria sparassa

Scyphophorus sparassus

Common Names

Dragon Cladonia

Dragon Cup Lichen

Dragon Horn

Dragon Horn Lichen

Glossary

Apothecium

An open, disk-shaped or cup-shaped, reproductive structure, with spore sacs on the upper surface, that produces spores for the fungal partner of a lichen. Plural: apothecia.

Axil

The upper angle where a branch, stem, leaf stalk, or vein diverges.

Fruticose

Shrubby: referring to the growh form of lichens that may be tufted, draped, or stalked.

Podetium

The hollow stalk of the fruiting body of lichens in the genus Cladonia. Plural: podetia.

Squamules

On lichens: small, flat, often overlapping, leaf-like scales without a lower cortex. Adjective: squamulose

Thallus

The vegetative body of a lichen composed of both the alga and the fungus.

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Dan W. Andree

		Another Dragon Horn... Here is another dragon horn lichen I came across. I like when there has been adequate moisture they seem to have a bit brighter color than when it has been hot and dry etc. conditions. Real interesting growth formations. This one kind a looks like it has a long necked creature on the right side with a small head and pointed ears etc. If one uses their imagination. 😊
Dragon Looking Dragon Horn Lichen... I came across this dragon horn lichen that reminded me of some type of friendly little dragon. Observed it on and off over a month or so and noticed depending on weather it sometimes looked greener and if drier conditions more greener gray like. Pretty cute little dragon horn lichen.


Dragon Horn Lichen...