| Cladocetraria | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Lecanorales |
| Family: | Parmeliaceae |
| Genus: | Cladocetraria Chesnokov, Prokopiev & Konoreva (2023) |
| Species: | C. minuscula
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cladocetraria minuscula | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Cladocetraria is a fungal genus in the family Parmeliaceae. It contains the single species Cladocetraria minuscula, a fruticose (shrubby) lichen. The genus was established in 2023 based on morphological and molecular studies that distinguished it from related genera. It is characterised by its small size, growing only 2–3 centimetres tall, with distinctive hollow, tube-like structures that branch in a fork-like pattern and have inward-curling tips covered in a white powdery coating. The lichen produces several chemical compounds (lichen products), including usnic acid, which gives it its yellowish-green colour.
The species has a restricted distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, being found primarily in northeastern Asia and northwestern North America, particularly in the Russian Far East. While it was historically confused with small forms of the similar species Flavocetraria cucullata, genetic studies have confirmed it represents a distinct evolutionary lineage within the "cetrarioid core" group of the family Parmeliaceae. The lichen grows mainly on the ground among mosses in both boreal forest and tundra environments, showing a preference for mesic (moderately moist) conditions and occasionally growing on rotten mossy logs embedded in soil.