# British Soldier Lichen (*Cladonia cristatella*)

British Soldier Lichen is a tiny plant that looks like a tiny red soldier's hat. It grows on rocks and tree bark in forests and mountain regions.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Forests, Mountain regions
- **Also known as:** Soldier Lichen

![British Soldier Lichen](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cladonia_cristatella_EPA.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Louise K. Broman (courtesy Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cladonia_cristatella_EPA.jpg)

## Appearance

The British Soldier Lichen has distinctive grey-green, goblet-shaped stalks, often forming dense patches. Each stalk is topped with a vibrant, scarlet-red fruiting body, resembling tiny, bright red caps on miniature pillars. This striking contrast makes it easy to spot against duller backgrounds.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Lecanoromycetes
- **Order:** Lecanorales
- **Family:** Cladoniaceae
- **Genus:** Cladonia

## Interesting facts

- British Soldier Lichen helps protect the soil from being washed away by rain and wind.
- Its bright red tips inspired its name, looking like tiny British army coats!
- Some lichens can live for thousands of years, making them super ancient organisms.
- This lichen is actually two amazing organisms living together as one team.

## Special abilities

- **Air Purifier:** British Soldier Lichen has a special sensitivity to clean air that helps them thrive only in places with low pollution.
- **Pioneer Spirit:** British Soldier Lichen can grow on bare ground or rocks, helping to break them down and create new soil for other plants.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 1-5 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Year-round

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** Green Alga (*Trebouxia erici*) — Provides food through photosynthesis
- **Eats:** Grey Field Slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Grazes on the lichen's thallus
- **Shelter:** Green Springtail (*Isotoma viridis*) — Lives among the lichen's stalks

## Traits

- [Lichen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/lichen): This trait describes a composite organism resulting from a symbiotic association between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, typically an alga or cyanobacterium.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Look but don't touch! Let the lichen grow in its natural habitat undisturbed.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify British Soldier Lichen?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is British Soldier Lichen?

1-5 cm

### Is British Soldier Lichen edible?

inedible

### Where is British Soldier Lichen usually found?

Forests, Mountain regions

### What does British Soldier Lichen grow on?

soil

### When is British Soldier Lichen in season?

Year-round

## Where to spot

- [Ladew Topiary Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ladew-topiary-gardens) — Maryland, US · Botanical Garden
- [Spring Mill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/spring-mill-park) — Pennsylvania, US · Park

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [British Soldier Lichen: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/british-soldier-lichen)