Cladonia cristatella
Cladonia cristatella photo by Bob Klips
DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES: Dull, yellow-green color; podetia corticate, areolate, usually squamulate; apothecia red, spilling over podetial tip; compare with C. macilenta, sorediate and K+ yellow, and other red-fruited Ohio species which are relatively rare and always sorediate.
ECOLOGY: Very common in the eastern US, this “British soldier” is one of the most widely recognized and collected lichens; widepread in Ohio, probably present in every county; on soil, bark, and over rock.