Cladonia carassensis Vain.
Primary squamules very small, 1-3 mm long and broad, often disappearing, crenate or incised-crenate, becoming irregularly subdigitate-laciniate, ascending, flat, in tufts or sparse, upper surface glaucescent or pale olivaceous-glaucescent, lower surface white, esorediate. Podetia growing from upper surface of primary squamules, 20-90 mm tall, 2-3 mm diam., cups rare, abruptly flaring, 3-5 mm wide, ± oblique, almost lacking on one edge, rarely quite regular, interior open, margins entire or crenate or radiate-proliferating, sometimes repeatedly proliferous in several tiers, apices of proliferations ± irregularly subcorymbose or cymose-lacerate, mainly rarely scyphiferous, in tufted clusters of branchlets, erect or ascending, esorediate. Cortex smooth, without squamules to ± squamulose, whitish or ashy-brownish variegated, opaque, not pellucid, decorticate areas semipellucid. Apothecia small, to 0.3 mm diam., at tips of branchlets or clustered in axils, brown or red-brown. Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow, KC+, Pd+ yellow. Thamnolic acid.
S: Arthurs Pass to Fiordland east and west of Main Divide, eastern Otago from Mt Watkin to Kuriwao. On peaty soil, or soil overlying rocks, on fallen logs and amongst shrubs, 300-1000 m. A mainly South American species rather similar to C. crispata. Not widely collected in New Zealand.
Palaeotropical
