Taxon Report
Cladonia firma (Nyl.) Nyl.popcorn lichen |
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Taxon Summary
Cladonia firma, commonly known as popcorn lichen, is a squamulose lichen (terricolous) in the Cladoniaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Coastal dunes (stabilized), and Coastal scrub, growing at elevations from 30 to 75 meters. Cladonia firma is ranked 2B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.Classification
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Scientific Name: |
Cladonia firma (Nyl.) Nyl. |
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Common Name: |
popcorn lichen |
| Family: | Cladoniaceae |
| Element Code: | NLT0008460 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | CLFI4 |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | squamulose lichen (terricolous) |
| Blooming Period: | |
| Elevation: | 30-75 (100-245) |
| General Habitats: | Coastal dunes, Coastal scrub |
| Microhabitat: | |
| Microhabitat Details: | On soil, detritus, and/or moss |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 2B.1 |
| Global Rank: | G4 |
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State Rank: |
S1 |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | |
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CRPR Changes: |
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Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
| Total Occurrences: | 4 |
| Element Occurrence Ranks: | |
| Excellent (A) | 0 |
| Good (B) | 0 |
| Fair (C) | 0 |
| Poor (D) | 0 |
| None (X) | 0 |
| Unknown (U) | 4 |
| California Endemic: False | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| San Luis Obispo (SLO) | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| Morro Bay South (3512037) | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 2 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 1 | 25 % | |
| Non-native plant impacts | 1 | 25% |
| Other | 1 | 25% |
Notes
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Known in CA only from Morro Bay and Baywood-Los Osos areas. Threatened by habitat loss, recreational activities, and non-native plants. Often forms biological soil crusts with other lichens and mosses. See Bulletin of the California Lichen Society |
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Threats: |
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Taxonomy: |
Citation
California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 24 November 2025].