TYPE. UNITED STATES. FLORIDA, Orange County, Sanford, Sep. 1923, S. Rapp s.n., Sandst., Clad. Exs. 1141 [TUR-V 13556, lectotype by Ahti (1973); BM, G, FH, FR, H, M, MICH, S, TNS, TUR-V, UPS, US, isolectotypes].

Description. Lichenized fungus.

Thallus fruticose (primary thallus absent), forming prostrate cushions. Podetia 25-50 mm long by 0.7-2 mm thick, very pale yellowish, often partly grayish, highly and irregularly branched; axils sometimes perforated. Podetial surface ecorticate, outer layer well-developed, appearing dull and soft, becoming verrucose toward the base. Photobiont trebouxioid alga. Ascomata biatorine apothecia, infrequent, yellowish brown, usually aggregate, 0.15-0.3 mm diam., on podetial tips; ascospores not reported. Pycnidia round to short cylindrical, 0.15-0.2 mm diam.; pycnidial jelly hyaline; conidia slightly curved, 4 x 1 μm.

Chemistry. Podetia K-, KC+ gold, C-, PD- or PD+ yellow; usnic and sometimes psoromic acids.

Substrate and Habitat. On sand or sandy soil in open areas.

Distribution. Coastal southeastern North America; in North Carolina in Coastal Plain ecoregion. 

Literature

Ahti, T. (1973) Taxonomic notes on some species of Cladonia, subsect. Unciales. Annales Botanici Fennici 10(3): 163-184.

Brodo, I.M., S. Duran Sharnoff & S. Sharnoff. (2001) Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven & London. 795 pp.

Evans, A.W. (1947) A study of certain North American Cladoniae. The Bryologist 50(1): 14-51.