Description: This is a characteristic, dark brown to black, foliose to shrubby species typical of sandy or heathy places or moor-edge habitat. It is a more robust version of C. muricata (described elsewhere) which is essentially restricted to deadwood. C. aculeata has longer, wider (to 1mm) and more flattened branches (with spiny projections) forming loose, somewhat untidy clumps on dry, peaty soils. It is frequent in suitable upland habitats throughout Ireland but is rarer in the south.

Key Identification Features:

• The habitat and tough, shiny dark brown to black, rather spiky appearance helps to indicate this species
• The similar Cetraria muricata is smaller with more rounded branches and rarely grows on soil.

Original text submitted by Simon Davey

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

iNaturalist: Cetraria aculeata at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.