User:Sean R.H.

Cladina was once considered a distinct genus of lichens in the Cladoniacea, but is now more often referred to as a morpho-type, due to the similarities between the genera Cladina and Cladonia. The morpho-type Cladina includes those Cladonia spp. commonly known as forage lichens, mat-forming lichens, or reindeer lichens (due to their importance as winter forage for reindeer or caribou, Rangifer tarandus). Some examples include Cladonia portentosa, Cladonia mitis, Cladonia rangiferina, Cladonia arbuscula, and Cladonia stellaris.

Unlike other Cladonia spp., Cladina's do not grow from visible squamules or bear noticeable cup-like structures. Individual thalli are shaped like small shrubs, and multiple thalli can form anything from small patches to vast carpets throughout an area, depending on the habitat.

Cladina's are most abundant in tundra and boreal or sub-boreal woodlands, where relatively dry, nutrient-poor, or cold conditions ensure that competition with vascular plants is minimal.