Cladonia-phyllophora_5

Description:

Cladonia phyllophora Hoffm., syn.: Cladonia alcicornis var. phyllophora (Hoffm.) Malbr., Cladonia cervicornis f. phyllophora (Hoffm.) Dalla Torre & Sarnth., Cladonia degenerans (Flrke) SprengFamily: CladoniaceaeEN: Felt cladonia, DE: Bebltterte BecherflechteSlo.: no name foundDat.: Sept. 18. 2008Lat.: 46.32403 Long.: 13.58408Code: Bot_0297/2008_DSC3510 Habitat: Steep mountain slope, northwest aspect; among large boulders of a recent, large sock slide; in half shade; on sandy, calcareous ground; moderately humid place; protected from direct rain by overhanging rock; average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 7-9 deg C, elevations 750 m (2.450 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: sandy soil/raw hummus, among large calcareous boulders.Place: Bovec basin, Northwest slopes of Mt. Javorek, 1557 m; toward the end of a dirt forest road, East Julian Alps, Posoje, Slovenia EC. Comment (relates to Flickr album Cladonia phyllophora): Browsing literature to determine the name of this find I've found only one or two candidates with podetia, which sometimes proliferate in more than two stores from cup margins. Cladonia rappii as well as Cladonia cervikornis/verticilata look similarly from far, but proliferate strictly from the center of the cups. Cladonia ramulosa may look similar too, but rarely (if at all) proliferates in more than two stores and is usually fertile with numerous conspicuous brown apothecia. None of several specimens found in this observation had podetia with apothecia. The best, although not ideal, fit I've found seems to be Cladonia phyllophora. All sources agree that this taxon is highly polymorphic (google the pictures of it!). The taxon is also very variously interpreted by the authors (Ref. 7.). The description in literature, which seems the closest to this find, is in Brodo, Sharnoff, Sharnoff (2001) (Ref. 2.) mentioning gradually broadening and seemingly soft near the apex podetia having a slightly puffed-up aspect and cup margins richly decorated by small and thick squamules (see Fig. 4.) and brown pycnidia /see Fig.7.). The description in Smith at al (2009) (Ref. 1.) fits reasonably well too, particularly the description of the habit stated as 'often extensive more or less interlocking tiers of proliferating podetia'. However, many sources mention that the surface of the podetia near the base should be areolate with contrasting blackened decorticated and maculated areas (Ref. 1., Ref. 8.) or blackish podetia base (Ref. 7.), which is not the case in this find. Also substratum is usually cited as acid. This find apparently grew on a mixture of sandy soil and raw hummus deposited in gaps among large rock boulders (a few meters across) of a relatively recent large mountain rock slide. It seems possible that it was at least to some extent acid, however, the bedrock and the boulders themselves are no doubt calcareous. I am not sure my determination is correct, but, I am also not aware of a better alternative.Ref.:(1) C.W.Smith, et all, The lichens of Great Britain and Ireland,The British Lichen Society,(2009), p 333.(2) I.M. Brodo, S.D. Sharnoff, S.Sharnoff, Lichens of North America, Yale Uni. Press (2001), p 265.(3) V. Wirth, Die Flechten Baden-Wrttembergs, Teil.1., Ulmer (1995), p 332.(4) www.researchgate.net/publication/228358096_The_lichen_gen... (accessed May. 31. 2021)(5) v3.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=6... (accessed June 8. 2021)(6) www.sharnoffphotos.com/lichensB/cladonia_phyllophora.html (accessed June 12. 2021)(7) www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=... (accessed June 12. 2021)(8) italic.units.it/index.php?procedure=taxonpage&num=814 (accessed June 14. 2021)