SafePlants

Cladonia Species: Pixie Cups and More

This page provides information on several Cladonia species, commonly known as cup lichens, including Cladonia asahinae and Cladonia thomsonii.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Kingdom: Fungi
• Family: Cladoniaceae
• Cladonia asahinae (commonly known as the pixie cup lichen)
• Cladonia thomsonii (commonly known as Thomson's Cup Lichen)
• Synonyms/Related Species: Cladonia alaskana

Common Names

• Pixie Cups
• Thomson's Cup Lichen
• Asahina's Cup Lichen
• Alaska Pixie Lichen
• Cup Lichen
• Thomson's Pixie Lichen

Distribution and Habitat

• Occurs across the boreal forest.
• Found in North America.
• Observed in a fog-induced lichen community in a coastal desert.
• Also seen in Saskatchewan.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Growth Habit: Lichenous
• Podetia are cup-like and grey-green, varying in shape but typically tapering gradually.
• Some species start as a squamulose thallus and then form cups.

Ecological Role

• Cladonia species serve as a primary food source for reindeer and caribou.

Traditional Uses

• When boiled with milk or syrup, the pyxie cup lichen (C. pyxidata) has been used as a remedy for whooping cough and chest ailments.

Considerations for Pets

• According to the source material, Thomson's Cup Lichen is rated as "No" for dog safety.

Considerations for Children

• According to the source material, Thomson's Cup Lichen is rated as "No" for child safety.

Quirky Facts

• The lichens are described as shaped like "Shrek's Ears or miniature golf-tees (podetia), albeit somewhat battered and sand-blasted ones" with a "sprinkling of light-grey-green pixie dust."

Further Information

• Referenced databases: North American Lichen Checklist, MycoBank
• Lichen Atlas of the British Isles
• University of Toronto Press publication by John W. Thomson on the Lichen Genus Cladonia in North America.