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(Map updated: 11 August 2009)

This is a brown fruited species with upright, 3cm-high, scaly stems (podetia) and narrow cups occurring on acid soils and dead and rotting wood. It is very variable but the rather large, thick-lipped, brown discs situated at the apices of the podetia are enough to indicate the species. It is common in suitable habitats throughout Ireland.

Key characteristics

• The brown, convex discs which appear translucent when wet and the coarse peeling squamules on the upright podetia indicate this species
• The untidier Cladonia squamosa can be very similar, but is Pd- while Cladonia ramulosa is Pd+ red. When wet, the halo of discs of C. ramulosa can often sit perched at the apices of the podetia and come to resemble miniature brown rubber rings.

Original text submitted by Simon Davey