View source for Cladonia

{{Short description|Genus of lichenised fungi in the family Cladoniaceae}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = CladoniaSpec01.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Cladonia portentosa]]''
| taxon = Cladonia
| authority = [[P.Browne]] (1756)
| type_species = ''[[Cladonia subulata]]''
| type_species_authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) [[William Alfred Weber|Weber]] ex [[F.H.Wigg.]] (1780)
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See [[List of Cladonia species|List of ''Cladonia'' species]]
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="Diederich & Schultz 2021"/>
| synonyms = *''Verrucaster'' {{small|Tobler (1912)}}
}}

'''''Cladonia''''' is a [[genus]] of [[moss]]-like [[lichenized fungi]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Cladoniaceae]]. They are the primary food source for [[reindeer]]/caribou. ''Cladonia'' [[species]] are of economic importance to reindeer-herders, such as the [[Sami people|Sami]] in [[Scandinavia]] or the [[Nenets people|Nenets]] in [[Russia]]. [[Antibiotic]] compounds are extracted from some species to create antibiotic cream. The light green species ''[[Cladonia stellaris]]'' is used in [[flower]] decorations.

Although the [[phylogeny]] of the genus ''Cladonia'' is still under investigation, two main morphological groups are commonly differentiated by taxonomists: the ''Cladonia'' morpho-type and the ''Cladina'' morpho-type. The ''Cladonia'' morpho-type has many more species, and is generally described as a group of squamulose (grow from squamules), cup-bearing lichens. The ''Cladina'' morpho-types are often referred to as forage lichens, mat-forming lichens, or reindeer lichens (due to their importance as caribou winter forage).

''[[Cladonia perforata]]'' ("perforate cladonia") is one of two{{clarify|one of two...Cladonia? Lichens? Species?|date=June 2025}} on the [[United States|U.S.]] Endangered Species List, and it should never be collected. It exists only in a few small populations in [[Florida]].

Several ''Cladonia'' species grow on sand [[dune]]s. The presence, and luxuriant carpet-like growth, of ''Cladonia'' species is one of the defining characters of [[grey dune]]s, a priority [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]] for conservation under the [[European Union|E.U.]] Habitats Directive.

[[Larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species, including ''[[Chionodes|Chionodes continuella]]'', feed on ''Cladonia'' species.

==Selected species==
{{Main|List of Cladonia species}}
Selected species of ''Cladonia'' include:<ref>Walewski. Joe (2007). ''Lichens of the North Woods.'' Duluth, MN: Kollath+Stensaas Publ.</ref>
{{Columns-list|colwidth=35em|
*''[[Cladonia amaurocraea]]'' – quill lichen
*''[[Cladonia arbuscula]]'' – reindeer lichens
*''[[Cladonia asahinae]]'' – pixie cup lichen
*''[[Cladonia borealis]]'' – boreal cup lichen
*''[[Cladonia cardiosa]]'' – split-leg lichen
*''[[Cladonia cenotea]]'' – powdered funnel lichen
*''[[Cladonia chlorophaea]]'' – mealy pixie cup
*''[[Cladonia coccifera]]'' – madam's cup
*''[[Cladonia coniocraea]]'' – common powderhorn
*''[[Cladonia cristatella]]'' – British soldiers lichen
*''[[Cladonia deformis]]'' – lesser sulphur-cup lichen
*''[[Cladonia didyma]]'' – Southern soldiers
*''[[Cladonia fimbriata]]'' – trumpet lichen
*''[[Cladonia gracilis]]'' – smooth horn lichen
*''[[Cladonia macilenta]]'' – lipstick powderhorn
*''[[Cladonia macrophyllodes]]'' – large-leaved cladonia
*''[[Cladonia mitis]]'' – green reindeer lichen, yellow reindeer lichen
*''[[Cladonia mongkolsukii]]''
*''[[Cladonia multiformis]]'' – sieve lichen
*''[[Cladonia parasitica]]''
*''[[Cladonia peziziformis]]'' – cup lichen
*''[[Cladonia phyllophora]]'' – felt horn lichen
*''[[Cladonia pleurota]]'' – red-fruited pixie cup
*''[[Cladonia portentosa]]'' – reindeer lichen
*''[[Cladonia pyxidata]]'' – pebbled pixie lichen
*''[[Cladonia rangiferina]]'' – grey reindeer lichen, true reindeer lichen
*''[[Cladonia rei]]'' – wand lichen
*''[[Cladonia squamosa]]'' – dragon horn
*''[[Cladonia stellaris]]'' – northern reindeer lichen, star-tipped reindeer lichen
*''[[Cladonia turgida]]'' – crazy scale lichen
*''[[Cladonia uncialis]]'' – thorn lichen
*''[[Cladonia verticillata]]'' – ladder lichen
}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Cladonia_apodocarpa_(EU).jpg|''[[Cladonia apodocarpa]]''
Cladonia_caespiticia_(EU).jpg|''[[Cladonia caespiticia]]''
Cladonia_coniocraea_(EU).jpg|''[[Cladonia coniocraea]]'' – common powderhorn
Cladonia convoluta 090308.jpg|''[[Cladonia convoluta]]''
Cladonia cristatella EPA.jpg|''[[Cladonia cristatella]]'' – British soldiers
Cladonia_macilenta_9497.JPG|''[[Cladonia macilenta]]'' var. ''bacillaris'' – lipstick cladonia
Cladonia macrophyllodes 109105.jpg|''[[Cladonia macrophyllodes]]'' – large-leaved cladonia
Cladonia_grayi_complex_(EU).jpg|''[[Cladonia grayi]]'' complex
Cladonia_parasitica_(EU).jpg|''[[Cladonia parasitica]]''
Cladonia_peziziformis_(ECU).jpg|''[[Cladonia peziziformis]]''
Cladonia_pleurota_(EU).jpg|''[[Cladonia pleurota]]'' – red-fruited pixie cup 
Cladonia_subcariosa_(EU).jpg|''[[Cladonia subcariosa]]''
Cladonia_subtenuis_(EU).jpg|''[[Cladonia subtenuis]]''
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="Diederich & Schultz 2021">{{cite journal |last1=Diederich |first1=Paul |last2=Schultz |first2=Matthias |title=The identity of Verrucaster lichenicola Tobler |journal=Herzogia |volume=34 |issue=1 |year=2021 |doi=10.13158/heia.34.1.2021.203 |pages=203–207|bibcode=2021Herz...34..203D |s2cid=235676296 }}</ref>

}}
Anderson, R. (2009). ''Cladonia peziziformis'' (With.) J.R. Laundon (Lecanorales: Cladoniaceae) re-discovered in Co. Down. ''Ir. Nat. J.'' '''30''': 146.
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{{Taxonbar|from=Q310738}}
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[[Category:Cladonia| ]]
[[Category:Lecanorales genera]]
[[Category:Lichen genera]]
[[Category:Taxa described in 1756]]


{{Lecanorales-stub}}