Cladonia cristatella (British soldiers)

Cladonia cristatella Tuck.

British soldiers, cup lichen

British soldier lichen, with its brilliant red caps, is named for the army of British “redcoats” who invaded colonial America. The red caps are apothecia—spore-producing bodes. These lichens are widespread through eastern North America.

Identification: These lichens are fruticose, which simply means that they look like tiny shrubs. They are less than 1″ (2.5 cm) high, and are found on disturbed ground (for example, along areas cleared for high tension power lines) or on decaying wood. I often see moss nearby. Lipstick powderhorn (Cladonia macilenta) and red-fruited pixie cups (Cladonia pleurota) also have red tops, the former are tall and narrow and the latter are goblet-shaped.

Habitats: On wood, soil or bark of tree bases.

Online References:

Stephen Sharnoff Photography

Tom Volk's Fungi site, at the Department of Biology at the University of Wisconsin

Wikimedia Commons

References:

Walewski, Joe, Lichens of the North Woods, Kollath+Stensaas Publishing, 2007, p. 44

5/7/2023 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine

6/8/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 3″ (9 × 8.5 cm)

9/14/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 3″ (8.7 × 7.8 cm)

9/14/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 4 × 3½″ (10 × 8.9 cm)

8/17/2020 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 3 × 3″ (8.3 × 7.4 cm)

4/6/2021 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4 × 4″ (10 × 10 cm)

4/6/2021 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 3½″ (11 × 8.7 cm)

8/16/2014 · Arethusa Falls, White Mountains, New Hampshire · ≈ 4½ × 4″ (11 × 10 cm)

5/4/2023 · Tarbox Preserve, Topsham, Maine

4/6/2021 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.7 cm)

3/10/1985 · Dunstable, Massachusetts

4/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3 × 2½″ (7.4 × 6.6 cm)

5/11/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 3½″ (8.7 × 8.8 cm)

4/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)

9/14/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 4 × 4½″ (10 × 11 cm)

Kingdom	Fungi	Mushrooms, lichens, gel fungi, yeasts, and molds; also called eukaryotes
Division	Ascomycota	Sac fungi
Subdivision	Pezizomycotina	Sac fungi with filaments
Class	Lecanoromycetes	“Lichenized” fungi
Order	Lecanorales	Mostly lichen-forming fungi
Suborder	Lecanorineae	Lichens
Family	Cladoniaceae	Reindeer moss, cup lichen, others
Genus	Cladonia	“Cup lichen”
Species	cristatella	From Latin cristatus, ”crested,“ and New Latin suffix -ella, for the brightly colored fruiting bodies

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Cladonia cristatella description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.