Dragon Horn

The primary thallus is composed of medium-sized, crenate squamules, approximately 1.5-7 mm long, and 1-5 mm wide. The upper surface is fawn or tan to cinnamon-colored varying toward greenish grey. The apothecia are small, ranging from 0.5–3 mm. in diameter, and are located on the margin of the cups or at the ends of branches or proliferations. They are fawn to cinnamon-colored. The paraphyses are usually simple, sometimes thickened, and are brownish towards the apex. The hymenium is pale or pale-brownish below and brownish above. The asci are lecanoralean, with a thickened tholus. There are a usually 8 ascospores, which are oblong or oblong-obtuse to fusiform in shape, between 5-17 μm. long and 2.5-3.5 μm. wide. Conidia are falcate and 3-8 μm. long.

The species is widely distributed; it is found in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and on King George Island in Antarctica. In Nepal, Cladonia squamosa has been reported from 1,800 to 4,000 m elevation in a compilation of published records. It grows on mosses such as Chorisodontium aciphyllum, Polytrichum strictum, Andrea gainii, and Sanionia uncinata.