Description: This robust, distinctively stalked, lemon-grey to lemon-yellow, red-fruiting Cladonia is present but rare in Ireland so needs searching for. The stalks are covered in a fine layer of powdery granules (soredia). It grows on a variety of substrata such as humus, peat and rotting wood. It has a generally northern distribution in Britain as well as Ireland. It has been known to occupy high-level blanket bog in west Donegal but is also in County Mayo. Its physical appearance would be difficult to overlook in the field so a more expansive search, especially in the northern counties, is recommended.

Key Identification Features:

• Lemon/sulphur yellow, red-fruited Cladonia; the stalks (podetia) to 5cm tall
• It is KC+ yellow; look for it on rotting stumps among peat.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

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

iNaturalist: Cladonia sulphurina at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.