Or so I believe it to be so. Quite small actually and was taken from a speices growing on clay. I really had to crank the Meiji up to get this image because they were quite small. This is one that does not just present itself to you as some others in the species do. I would not have noticed this one if I had not been down on the ground, rooting around for something to post this afternoon (EDT). I also gathered up a mess of "Beggars Lice" on my socks and pants legs while scraping this thing up too.
Cladonia cristatella
Meiji EMZ-13TR w/Sony DSC-W5
I believe this to be Cladonia cristatella because of the stalked thallus and the tightly packed apothecia. C. deformis or Pixi Cups are funnel shaped with the apothecia around the outer rim of the funnel. Such as in this image below.
C. deformis
Meiji EMZ-13TR w/Sony DSC-W5
Cladonia cristatella
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Very good shots Ken. I wonder why the lichen chose bright red for its`fruiting bodies. Do you think it uses the color to attract insects to help spread its spores? Usually bright means "attraction" I for one would also like to see a "Beggars Lice" up close
Take Nothing but Pictures--Leave Nothing but Footprints.
Doug Breda
Doug Breda
Don't know the reason for the bright color Doug. It could be to attract insects but this little guy (first photo) was less than 1mm in size or there abouts. I have never read anything referencing insects to the spread of the fungal spores so I don know. Often the lichen when it does sporeulate will include a photobiont with the spore, in order to create a new lichen but then again sometimes there is only the spore and no algae to create a new lichen. Sometimes the coloration of an apothecia or the lichen itself is due to the pigmentation of the algae. Some algae may be yellow or orange, possibly red but still have the green chlorophyll masked by the pigment. Lots of possiblities here Doug. I will see what I can do about the beggars lice. Seems someone posted that many moons ago in the old forums I think.