Day 31: Lipstick Cladonia (Cladonia macilenta) is easy to identify because of its bright red fruiting bodies. Here featured as an integral part of the "Field Guide to Crow's Rail Fence" series, the first specimens I photographed a few days ago were not yet in full color and had an unfortunate encounter with Jack Frost before they could fruit. This morning found these putting on a display.
You might not notice the nearly microscopic scarlet knobs unless you were specifically looking for them. The grey-green scaly clubs (podetia) from which the Latin name is derived are a mere 10-20 cm. in height. Each club arises from a cluster of basal scales. The fruiting bodies (apothecia) are but pinheads of scarlet, significantly larger than life in the image.
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