Cladonia Bellidiflora

Day 364: I call them the "wildflowers of winter." A week of rain has given new life to the Pacific Northwest's abundant lichen population, and nothing says "Hurray!" quite like the bright red apothecia of Cladonia bellidiflora. This is our left-coast version of a related eastern species known colloquially as British Soldiers (C. cristatella). Lichen common names are not standardized like those for wildflowers, but the most generally accepted term for C. bellidiflora is Toy Soldiers.

Cladonia Bellidiflora, Toy Soldiers

Day 48: You can have your holly and your mistletoe. I'll take my Christmas colours in Cladonia bellidiflora. This showy fruticose lichen puts on a spectacular display of red apothecia, giving rise to its common and appropriately seasonal name of Toy Soldiers. A similar species (C. cristatella) is only found east of the Mississippi River and its common name of British Soldiers is frequently misapplied to C. bellidiflora. Closer examination of the podetia will reveal one easily observable difference: bellidiflora's "stems" are abundantly covered with pale green squamules (scales) whereas cristatella's podetia are finely granular.