Black-footed Reindeer Lichen

Cladonia stygia, commonly known as the black‐footed reindeer lichen, is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. It is distributed across boreal, arctic and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Originally described by Elias Magnus Fries in 1826 as a form of Cladonia rangiferina, subsequent studies on its morphology and chemistry led to its elevation to full species status in 1985. The lichen is recognised by its dark, ash-grey to black base and its...