Cladonia squamosa
Cladonia squamosa photo by Bob Klips
DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES: Slender podetia, usually densely squamulose; squamules finely dissected; spot tests negative; UV+ bright bluish-green from undersurface; compare with C. crispata which is less squamulose, cortex continuous (not verified from Ohio), and other K+ or P+ species from Ohio which, although they superficially fit the above description, contain no squamatic acid.
ECOLOGY: Widely distributed in the US; rather common in southern and eastern counties of Ohio, rare in northwestern counties; on soil and decaying wood, and over mosses on moist rocks. Common on exposed sandstone in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio.