Description: This rare stalked Cladonia with brown discs is most readily told by the lengthways spitting of the stalks together with large, clustered, terminal discs. The thallus is K+yellow and PD+ yellow. It is most easily confused with C. ramulosa which has similar granular-scaly stalks, but lacks the longitudinal splits and has a K- reaction. Mostly on disturbed or soils associated with old spoil tips.

Key Identification Features:

• Low stalked Cladonia with brown discs, the stalks spitting lengthways as though zipped open from above
• On mineralised or disturbed soils with metal contamination; thallus K+ yellow.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

Distribution Map from NBN: Cladonia cariosa at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Cladonia cariosa at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.