Ann. Bot. Fenn. 24: 85 (1987).

Protolog: Squamulae basales evanescentes. Podetia ad 5 cm alta, gradatim contracta aut in scyphis vadosis clausis expansa, ex margine proliferantia. Soredia nulla. Pycnidia fuliginosa. Acidum fumarprotocetraricum et acidum squamaticum continens.

Protolog type data: Uganda, Ruwenzori, SE slope of Mt Stanley, on moraine, 4550 m s. m., 9.4.1948, O. Hedberg 724i (UPS - holotypus, H - photograph).

Type locality: Uganda, Ruwenzori, southeast slope of Mt. Stanley, on moraine, 4550 m, 9 April 1948, O. Hedberg 724i (UPS - holotype, H - photograph).

Type locality coordinates: Data lacking.

Molecular barcode: Data lacking.

Thallus: basal squamules evanescent. Podetia whitish-grey to olive-green, exposed parts becoming brown, melanotic at base, up to 5 cm high, tapering to a pint or gradually expanding to form shallow, closed scyphi 2-5 mm diam., proliferating from the margins, corticate, the cortex areolate with convex areolae which grow into numerous microsquamules (formed by cortex and underlying tissue breaking away from the podetium while remaining attached by the upper edge) mixed with frequent large, entire or weakly crenate macrosquamules up to 7 x 4 mm, with upper side olivaceous-green and maculate, under side white or tinged with pale brown. Soredia absent. Apothecia not seen. Pycnidia brown-black, at the margin of scyphi (Ahti et al. 1987: 85).

Photobiont: Green alga.

Chemistry: Fumarprotocetraric acid, squamatic acid (Ahti et al. 1987: 85).

Ecology: On the ground in the alpine zone of Mt. Stanley, Uganda.

Distribution type: Only known from the type locality.

Taxonomy: This species belongs in sect. Cladonia. It comes close to C. phyllophora Hoffm., but is heavily microsquamulose. It also resemples C. andesita Vainio, but no signs of central proliferations were observed. In addition, unlike those species, C. insolita contains squamatic acid besides fumarprotocetraric acid, a combination of compounds which is very rare in Cladonia. Because C. insolita was detected in a specimen where it is associated with C. squamosa (Scop.) Hoffm., one might suspect that there are squamules of C. squamosa (containing squamatic acid) growing on C. insolita, but this does not seem to be the case. When tested individually, podetia with their squamules removed proved to contain either fumarprotocetraric or squamatic acid. Squamules tested separately were found to have either fumarprotocetraric acid with a trace of squamatic acid or vice versa. Podetia with their squamules intact contained both substances in abundance. Other combinations of substances would undoubtedly have been found if more material were tested. Under long wave UV light it was mainly the middle portion of the plant (squamules and podetia) that showed the white fluorescence indicative of squamatic acid. The species is thus chemically as well as morphologically distinct (Ahti et al. 1987: 85).

Note:

Distribution Database: Distributions

Picture Database: Tropical Lichens

Molecular Database: Genbank

Synonym Database: Index Fungorum

Synonym Database: Mycobank

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