This lichen, the main food of deer in Nordic countries, is very rare in France.

It is found on poor, non-calcareous soils in high mountains.

It is much less bitter than other Cladonia species.

As it is also used for making floral decorations, Christmas decorations, or models, it constitutes a very important economy for the Scandinavian countries, but it is also threatened with extinction due to overexploitation and its slow growth.

As with many fungal species, it accumulates radioactivity. Following the Chernobyl disaster and Russian nuclear tests, it is the cause of many human contaminations in the Nordic countries, because it is at the base of the livestock food chain.

This species, very sensitive to atmospheric pollution and territorial upheavals, deserves to be protected in France.

These specimens come from Estonia, and were re-introduced to the trail in October 2020.