Cladonia rangiformis
A lichen on cobscar rake
Cladonia rangiformis is a lichen that forms significant ground cover mats on Cobscar Rake. Locally, it is characteristic of calaminarian grassland, base rich soils and lead mine waste. It is regarded as a metallophyte and often grows with the mosses Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus and Pleurozium schreberi, the three species together replacing grasses as the dominant ground cover, in places. Click here for mining page.
Photograph detail
Slide 1: Ground cover of Cladonia rangiformis, (light green) on lead mining waste at Cobscar Mill, Redmire, November.
Slide 2: Mat of, Cladonia rangiformis, with Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus (a moss) on calaminarian grassland and lead mining waste at Cobscar Rake, Redmire, April.
Slide 3: Cladonia rangiformis, with the mosses Pleurozium schreberi (left) and Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus (right) on calaminarian grassland and lead mining waste at Cobscar Rake, Redmire, April.
Slide 4: Cladonia rangiformis, showing basal squamules with young podetia growing upwards, Cobscar Rake, Redmire, May.
Slide 5: Cladonia rangiformis, podetia tipped by apothecia (spore producing organs), Cobscar Rake, Redmire. Patches of darker green on the podetia are groups of algae embedded within the fungal tissue. April.
Slide 6: Cladonia rangiformis, podetia tipped by apothecia (spore producing organs), Cobscar Rake, Redmire. Patches of darker green on the podetia are groups of algae embedded within the fungal tissue. April.