Cladonia pleurota (Flörke) Schaer.
Capitularia pleurota Flörke, Magazin Ges. naturf. Fr. Berl. 2: 218 (1808).
Primary squamules persistent or disappearing, small to large, 1-7 × 5 mm, irregularly crenate-incised to lobed, upper surface yellowish to olivaceous or pale glaucescent, lower surface pale or brownish towards base, esorediate or with scattered granules below. Podetia variable, to 40 mm tall, usually much less, cups flaring gradually from base, goblet-shaped, regular and entire, or dentate-proliferate from margins, proliferations with apothecia or rarely with small cups, very occasionally with small cups developed at centre. Cortex yellowish to glaucescent, continuous to areolate or verrucose in lower parts, sorediate towards apices and inside; cups, soredia granular. Apothecia red, convex, at cup margins. Chemistry: Cortex K-, KC+ yellow, Pd-. Usnic and porphyrilic acids, zeorin and ± bellidiflorin.
N: S: St: Throughout, south of Whitianga (lat. 37°S), s.l. to 1000 m. Roadside banks, dry hillsides, peat soils, tussock grassland, dead tussock bases, Leptospermum heath, on moss, rotting logs and sandy soil.
Cosmopolitan
