OSYCZKA, P. 2013. A morphometric evaluation of the Cladonia chlorophaea group and allied taxa (Cladoniaceae, Ascomycota). — Herzogia 26: 49– 64.

The Cladonia chlorophaea group represents a complex of morphologically and chemically similar taxa that have long perplexed taxonomists. Until now, few studies have systematically evaluated morphological characters in the group. A morphometric analysis of samples belonging to the taxa of the Cladonia chlorophaea and C. humilis groups as well as C. fimbriata, was performed using various fundamental statistical methods. It revealed four unambiguously distinct morphological aggregates of samples, corresponding to four well known, cosmopolitan species, namely C. asahinae, C. chlorophaea, C. fimbriata and C. humilis. The analysis highlights the most reliable diagnostic characters distinguishing the obtained groups which can be applied for species determination. A chemical race of C. asahinae with fumarprotocetraric acid chemosyndrome only is reported from Europe and a chemotype of C. fimbriata with fumarprotocetraric and bourgeanic acids was revealed during the study. Morphometric analyses may be a very useful tool for evaluation of features within the genus Cladonia and other lichen genera containing cryptic species.