English: A lichen - Cladonia arbuscula subsp. squarrosa. This species was photographed as part of a quick examination of the mat-forming species of Cladonia in a small area of moorland; see the main item: 1060979.

A comparison of the species illustrated here with C. portentosa should make it clear that the pattern of branching is very different; the ends of the branches of C. arbuscula tend to point in the same direction (for example, in this photograph, many of them are pointing down and to the left, while few are pointing up or to the right). Several larger tufts of this species occurred in the selected area, but this small specimen shows the main features more clearly.

This is another species that is "fairly common and widespread on acid heathlands, particularly peat moors in upland areas and dunes" [Frank S. Dobson, "Lichens - An Illustrated Guide to the British and Irish Species"].