Cladonia diversa (images of British lichens)

Podetia cup-shaped, yellow-green, exterior surface and inside of cup densely covered with small, corticate granules, exterior also with small squamules, which may be longer and more numerous at the base, lacking soredia, margins with minute, bright red pycnidia; apothecia bright red, conspicuous, on irregular and distorted podetia. Widespread and locally common on heaths, dunes, rotting stumps and in rock crevices.

Much the most widespread and common of a difficult group of species formerly called "C. coccifera", true C. coccifera being rare, montane and confirmed only in the Scottish Highlands.

Refs: Smith et al. (2009), 324; Purvis et al. (1992), 197 (under C. coccifera); Dobson (2005), 129-30 (photo); Dobson (2011), 138 (photo); Allen (2007), 23 (photo); Whelan (2011), 71 & 72 (photos); Lichen Atlas of the British Isles 5: 1749 (2000).

lastdragon.org

Images of British Lichens