TYPE. “No relevant material [of Lichen gracilis L.] in LINN, but can be typified in this sense with a specimen in Herb. Dillenius (OXF); comm. P.W. James” (Ahti 1980).

Description. Lichenized fungus.

Thallus dimorphic to fruticose. Primary thallus squamulose, disappearing. Podetia slender, 2-10 cm tall, 0.2-2 mm thick, greenish gray to dark brown, usually unbranched, tips usually pointed without cups; cups when present narrow, 1-3 mm diam., 0-5 per podetium, margins toothed; base somewhat squamulose and darkened brown to blackish. Podetial surface corticate, areolate with ecorticate spaces brown or whitish. Photobiont Asterochloris alga. Ascomata biatorine apothecia, frequent, brown, 1-3 mm diam., on cup margins; ascospores narrowly ovoid, 10-15 x 2.5-3.5 μm. Pycnidia on cup margins; conidia fusiform, straight or curved, 6-10 x 0.5-1 μm.

Chemistry. UV+ violet, K+ red-brown, PD+ red; fumarprotocetraric and protocetraric acids.

Substrate and Habitat. On soil, over rocks, or decaying wood in temperate to southern boreal habitats.

Distribution. Europe, North and South America, Antarctica; in North Carolina throughout. 

Literature

Ahti, T. (1980) Taxonomic revision of Cladonia gracilis and its allies. Annales Botanici Fennici 17: 195-243.

Brodo, I.M., S. Duran Sharnoff & S. Sharnoff. (2001) Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven & London. 795 pp.