Cladoniaceae
| Cladoniaceae | |
|---|---|
| Cladonia subulata is the type species of the type genus of the family Cladoniaceae | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Lecanorales |
| Family: | Cladoniaceae Zenker (1827) |
| Type genus | |
| Cladonia P.Browne (1756) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Cladoniaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Lecanorales. It is one of the largest families of lichen-forming fungi, with about 560 species distributed amongst 17 genera. The reindeer moss and cup lichens (Cladonia) belong to this family. The latter genus, which comprises about 500 species, forms a major part of the diet of large mammals in taiga and tundra ecosystems. Many Cladoniaceae lichens grow on soil, but others can use decaying wood, tree trunks, and, in a few instances, rocks as their substrate. They grow in places with high humidity, and cannot tolerate aridity.
Many Cladoniaceae species are characterised by a thallus that has two distinct forms: a scaly or crust-like primary thallus that, depending on the species, can be permanent or temporary, and a secondary fruticose thallus called a podetium or pseudopodetium. Cladoniaceae members form symbiotic associations with green algae from the class Trebouxiophyceae, usually the genus Asterochloris. Six Cladoniaceae species are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.