Cladonia corniculata
Family
Cladoniaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Fruticose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Distribution
North Island: Northland (Karikari Peninsula, Kawerua, Kaikohe, Anawhata), Auckland (Waitakere Ranges), South Auckland (Hunua Ranges, Moehau Coromandel Ranges, Te Aroha), Hawke’s Bay (Lake Tutira), Wellington (Ohakune, Totara Reserve Pohangina Valley, Pahiatua Track Tararua Ranges, Akitio, Wellington). South Island: Nelson (Kaiteriteri, d’Urville River, Lake Rotoiti), Westland (Greymouth, Fox Glacier, Ross, Haast), Marlborough (Hapuka River, Kaikoura), Canterbury (Arthur’s Pass, Ashley Gorge, Black Birch Stream Mt Cook), Otago (Haast Pass, Canyon Creek Ahuriri Valley, Whitbourn Flats, Dart Valley, Paradise, Alexandra, Deep Stream, Horse Ranges, Silver Peaks, Mt Cargill, Flagstaff, Saddle Hill, Owaka), Southland (Fortrose, Seaward Bush, Awarua Bay, Sandy Point, Greenhills, Riverton Bush, Waikoau River, Lillburn Valley, Cascade Creek) Stewart Island: (Mt Anglem, Freshwater River, Fright Cove Port Pegasus).
Also SE Asia, in Australia, Macquarie Island, Central and South America, and the Falkland Islands
Habitat
Throughout, common and often abundant on peaty and clay soils, decaying logs in forest or open grassland, and roadside banks, Leptospermum heaths, s.l. to 1000 m, both in shade and in full sun.
Detailed description
Primary squamules persistent or often sparse and disappearing, small, upper surface whitish-glaucescent to blackening, lower surface white. Podetia growing from upper surface of primary squamues, tall and slender, 30-100 mm tall and to 3.5 mm diam., cylindrical, without cups, or with antler-like and irregular proliferations, or with irregular cups formed by circles of long proliferations, rarely corticate at base (1-2 mm), otherwise entirely decorticate, farinose-sorediate, white to ashy or pale glaucescent, or brownish. Apothecia rare, sessile, on margins of cups or on marginal stalks or on tips of podetia, dark brown, or reddish-brown.
Chemistry: Cortex K−, C−, KC−, Pd+ red; containing fumarprotrocetraric acid (major), protrocetraric acid (tr.), ±stictic acid (major), constictic acid (tr.), and norstictic acid (tr.).
Similar taxa
Cladonia corniculata is distinguished from the morphologically similar C. weymouthii by the ecorticate base of the podetia and the Pd+ red reaction. Sometimes parasitised by Diploschistes muscorum spp. bartlettii. Earlier collections of C. corniculata from New Zealand were labelled as C. subulata and subsequently changed. However, these should be rechecked because both species occur in New Zealand. C. corniculata is distinct from C. subulata by (1) the presence of moderate branching, usually ½ to 2/3 of the way up the length of the podetium; (2) blunt tips; (3) the absence of cups. C. subulata does not branch, and has blunt or acute tips upon proliferations that often (but not always) arise from cup margins
Substrate
Terricolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (15 September 2021). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features and Similar taxa sections copied from Galloway (1985) & Galloway (2007).
References and further reading
Galloway D.J. 1985: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens. Wellington: PD Hasselberg, Government Printer. 662 pp.
Galloway D.J. 2007: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens, including lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi. 2nd edition. Lincoln, Manaaki Whenua Press. 2261 pp.