Synonym(s)
Blood Lung Moss; deer horn lichen or barley (österr.); Fever Moss; Icelandic moss; Iceland Moss; Irish moss (nicht zu verwechseln mit Irisch Moos); lichen icicus
DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.
Cetraria islandica, also called Icelandic moss , is a cushion-shaped shrub lichen that is widespread throughout Europe, but in more southern areas it occurs only at higher altitudes. see under Lichen islandicus
General informationThis section has been translated automatically.
The lichen grows to a height of 4 to 12 cm and is characterized by its individual, branched shoots, which are antler-like, rigid and sometimes curved like gutters. They are brown-green on the upper side and white-green on the underside and have 3 to 6 mm flat bands on the sides.
Depending on their exposure to light, the lichens store varying amounts of a brown pigment that serves as sun protection. Lichens of the high mountains are therefore dark brown to black-brown in color.
Cetraria islandica is the parent plant of Lichen islandicus
Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer
Prof. Dr. med. Martina Bacharach-Buhles