Cladonia cervicornis subsp. cervicornis (images of British lichens)

Description substantially based on Van Herk & Aptroot (see below):
Podetia cup-like, the cups single or proliferating from the centre to form tiers, i.e. one cup inside another, shape often somewhat irregular, soredia absent, basal squamules deeply divided, lobes elongated, green to yellow-green above when fresh, curled upwards showing conspicuous white undersurface when dry; apothecia brown, on the margins of the cups. In heathland and on dunes, widespread.

The podetia of this subspecies usually lack the multiple tiers seen commonly in subsp. verticillata, but Van Herk & Aptroot recorded up to seven tiers in each subspecies, and regard the characters of the basal squamules, rather than the extent of the proliferation of the podetia, as diagnostic. They give the subspecies specific rank.

Refs: Van Herk & Aptroot (2003), Bibliotheca Lichenologica 86: 193-203 (photos, as species); Smith et al. (2009), 323; Purvis et al. (1992), 207; Dobson (2011), 142, 143 (photo, as species); van Herk & Aptroot (2004), 132-133 (photo, as species); Lichen Atlas of the British Isles 2: 369 (1996).

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Images of British Lichens