About:
A fruticose lichen that grows closely aggregated and up to 12 cm high.
Habitat:
C. rangiferina grows on sun-exposed slopes throughout North America and is extremely tolerant of cold temperatures, able to grow in the Canadian tundra and in Northern Europe.
History:
Used by practitioners of medicine in medieval Europe, lichens were ground up and used as "herbs" as well as by Dené, an indigenous people in Northern Canada that used this lichen for various ailments, include arthritis, headaches, and fevers. They also used this lichen as a food source. After killing the caribou, the Dené would open up the stomach, pour in the blood of the animal, and let the mixture sit until the half digested lichen became soft.
C. rangiferina was also used as a food source during famine in Finland, according to Purdue University.
This lichen was also used in the production of Akvavit, a spirit produced in Northern Europe, mainly Scandinavia and Germany, beginning in the 15th century.
Structure:
The Thallus of Cladonia rangiferina is greenish-grey. The tips are branched and leaning in one direction, giving the lichen a combed over appearance. It is often found aggregated, growing clusters or as a dense turf.
Fun Fact!
-This lichen is also known as the grey/green reindeer lichen or caribou moss. While it is not a moss, this lichen is consumed by reindeer in the tundra, where they use their antlers and hooves to dig into the snow to graze on them.
Reference List:
-Cladonia rangiferina. Consortium of North American Lichen Herbaria. [accessed 2020 May 4]. https://lichenportal.org/cnalh/taxa/index.php?taxon=Cladonia+rangiferina&formsubmit=Search+Terms
-Cladonia rangiferina. Consortium of North American Lichen Herbaria. CNALH - Google Map. [accessed 2020 May 4]. https://lichenportal.org/cnalh/collections/map/googlemap.php?usethes=1&taxa=63777
-Cladonia rangiferina. Famine Foods - Purdue University. [accessed 2020 May 4]. https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/famine-foods/famine_food/cladonia-rangiferina-2/
- Crampton, L. Lichens and People: Uses, Benefits, and Potential Dangers. Owlcation. 2020 Apr 20 [accessed 2020 May 4]. https://owlcation.com/stem/Lichens-and-People-Surprising-Interesting-and-Helpful-Uses
-Raine, M. 2010. Nature of snowdonia: a beginner's guide to the upland environment. Great Britain: Pesda Press; [accessed 2020 May 4]. https://books.google.com/books?id=uidTqo4bbaoC&pg=PA56#v=onepage&q&f=false
-Sharnoff, S. D. Lichens and Wildlife. [accessed 2020 May 4]. https://web.archive.org/web/20160601002120/http://www.lichen.com/animals.html