cladonia macilenta tipped with tiny red fruiting bodies

Size
Height: 1–3 cm
Lifespan
10–30 years
Diet
Photosynthetic. Obtains nutrients via symbiotic relationship between fungus and alga. Grows on rotting wood and mossy substrates in humid, sheltered locations.
Habitat
Grows on rotting logs, stumps, and mossy banks in damp, shaded forests. Found in humid, sheltered locations where the wood is soft and the air is damp.
Range
Found throughout the North and South Islands on rotting logs, stumps, and mossy banks in damp, shaded forests. Most common in the South Island's beech forests and the North Island's western ranges.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
None significant. This species is common and widespread in damp, shaded forests. Localised threats include forest clearance, removal of rotting logs, and climate change reducing forest floor moisture.
Population
Not Threatened. Cladonia macilenta is a common and widespread lichen in New Zealand, particularly in the South Island's beech forests and the North Island's western ranges.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
fruticose lichen, safe to handle
Conservation Note
Native lichen; not assessed by NZTCS as lichens are generally outside the scope of current threat classifications.
Te Ao Māori
No recorded Māori name distinguishes Cladonia macilenta from other lichens. Lichens were generally called pūkohu (mosses and lichens) or pukorokoro (crustose lichens). The tiny, pale stalks on the rotting wood would have been noticed. They looked like a miniature forest. Like the hair of a spirit. But no distinct name survives. Cladonia macilenta was sometimes used as a dye. The pale pigment could be extracted and used to colour fibres. Though it was not as vibrant as other lichens.
The one that looks like a tiny matchstick has a body that is pale greyish-green. Slender stalks rise from the rotting wood like a forest of tiny pins. The stalks are thin and straight. They often reach 1 to 2 centimetres in height. The tips are usually pale or slightly coloured. Sometimes there is a hint of pink or brown. It is the lichen of the subtle colour. Easy to miss. Impossible to unsee once you know it. What makes it special is the subtlety. Cladonia macilenta is not a flashy lichen. Its colours are pale and muted. Pale greyish-green. Sometimes with a hint of pink or brown at the tips. Its stalks are thin and unassuming. They blend into the moss and the rotting wood. It does not demand attention. But once you learn to see it, you will see it everywhere. It is the lichen of the quiet presence. The one that rewards a patient eye. The one that proves that the most interesting things are often the most overlooked. The stalks are podetia. These are the upright, hollow structures characteristic of Cladonia lichens. They are smooth and unbranched. Occasionally branched near the tips. The surface is covered in tiny, powdery granules called soredia. These break off and grow into new lichens. Under a hand lens, the granules are visible. Tiny white dots scattered across the pale surface. Biologically, Cladonia macilenta is a partnership. A fungus and an alga living together. The fungus provides structure and protection. The alga provides food through photosynthesis. It grows on rotting logs and stumps. It prefers the soft, decayed wood of native trees. To find Cladonia macilenta is to find the tiny stalks on the rotting log. They are pale, slender, and quiet. A miniature forest on the wood. You can run your finger through the stalks. Feel the thin, brittle texture. It is the lichen of the subtle colour. The one that is easy to miss but impossible to unsee once you know it. The one that proves that the smallest things can be the most beautiful.