Question

Cladonia rangiferina is
A) Lichen
B) Alga
C) Fungus
D) Angiosperm

Answer 1

Hint:Cladonia rangiferina is a bushy and branched lichen found in great abundance in Arctic lands. It usually grows in both hot and cold climates in well-drained, open environments.

Complete Answer:
1) Cladonia rangiferina is a light-colored, fruticose (meaning bushy and branched) lichen belonging to the algal family of Cladoniaceae. It’s commonly called reindeer lichen.
2) Cladonia rangiferina is a type of algae that grows in boreal pine forests and open, lower-alpine sites in a wide range of habitats, from humid, open forests, rocks and heaths. A specific biome in which this lichen is represented is the Boreal forests of Canada.
In certain parts of its range, this lichen is a threatened species.
3) Their photosynthetic pigments are more varied than those of plants, and their cells have features not found among plants and animals. Fungus, plural fungi, any of about 144,000 known species of organisms of the kingdom Fungi, which includes the yeasts, rusts, smuts, mildews, moulds, and mushrooms.
4) There are also many fungus-like organisms, including slime molds and oomycetes (water moulds) that do not belong to kingdom Fungi but are often called fungi.

Additional Information:In short, a moss is a simple plant, and a lichen is a fungi-algae sandwich. Mosses are multicellular organisms with leaflets made of photosynthetic cells, just as with trees, ferns and wildflowers.Lichens, conversely, are a mix of at least two different organisms, a fungus and alga, living together as one.

Hence, the correct answer is option A(Lichen).

Note:Lichen is rarely found on healthy, vigorous trees. Lichen loves sunlight and moisture, so it is often found in sunny, wet spots. To reiterate: the lichen is in no way harming your tree.