British soldier lichen
There are a few colorful things around before spring comes – here’s one, the lichen Cladonia cristatella, common name British soldier lichen:
There are very small, found on the ground in dry areas.
Nature Diary
Notes from the field, essays, and observations.
rss feed
The world of lichens has been a tough one for me to get my mind around: there’s that vocabulary, for one thing. I’ve wondered, too, whether more colorful ones are more common in areas like yours. I did see an orange one this spring, but nothing so striking as this. It really is a beauty, and I enjoyed having my suspicion about the source of the name confirmed when I looked for a little more information.
This species if by far the most eye-catching one I see, and it’s pretty common. The other lichens I see are all a dull blue-green or green. Pixie cup species, like Cladonia coccifera, are interesting, but less colorful. There’s lots to learn about lichens, I know about only a few species.
Very colorful, and so amazing ! š
Looks like brain š