Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Cladonia sp.

Tiny Cladonia lichen found at Bow Valley Provincial Park on September 30th.

Not sure how many species of Cladonica Lichen there are in Alberta, but I know so little about them that I won't even attempt to identify these in my macro shot. We found this clump of these very tiny lichens on a botanizing walk near Turner Valley, south of Calgary, on an acreage belonging to Susan Wright. Thanks so much, Susan, for taking us out to explore your beautiful and interesting property. As soon as I saw this cluster on a small log, they just looked different from what I usually see.

LOL, I have taken so many photos of tiny Cladonia lichen and always wondered if I would EVER get a photo that was sharp enough for my liking. I think this macro shot is probably the best one so far : ) Can't remember exactly, but the Cladonia were probably around half an inch tall. Growing amongst the mosses at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park on 12th October, doing their job of disintegrating the fallen log they were growing on. How I love the miniature world that surrounds us! You know, the world that most people never, ever see. I always used to call these Cladonia Lichens little green Golf Tees. Then I saw on someone's photostream the name "Shrek Ears". Wish so much that I could remember who gave this name (then I could give credit where credit is due). I LOVE that name!!! Also, Maxine below described them as little green angel horns - and I love that name, too. Thanks, Maxine! How I miss being in the forest - I always get the wonderful feeling of being "home", that that is where I belong ; )

A closer look at the tiny world of Cladonia lichen. These little stalks were maybe half an inch in height : ) No idea how many different species of Cladonia grow in Alberta, but I'm not going to even try to give an ID to the one shown in this image. We found these on one of our stops along Highway 40, in Kananaskis. There were lots of very tiny mushrooms nearby, growing on the droppings/scat of some large animal. What is a Lichen? "Lichens are amazing living entities, in that they are not a single organism like plants, animals or fungi. Instead every single lichen is the result of two or more separate organisms living permanently together. All lichens are made up of a fungal partner and either/or an algal partner or a cyanobacterium partner, or both. Lichens first appeared about 400 million years ago so they have been around for a long time. Some individual species such as Hypogymnia physodes have been around for at least 25 million years and maybe for as long as 70 million years. Obviously the lichen symbiosis is a successful strategy.... For many ecologists lichens are an accurate monitor of quality of the air in any given place.... Lichens are useful as food, medicine, for making dyes, in perfume manufacture, as decorations and in science." From www.earthlife.net/lichens/intro.html

A most uninspiring image for most of you, LOL, but I was thrilled to bits to be shown this completely different Cladonia species the other day, on a hike at Marston Creek, on the southern edge of Kananaskis, off Highway 40. I can never remember the names of any lichens I see, so will have to wait for friend, Doug, to upload his shot of it along with an ID : )