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Gray reindeer lichen

Cladine rangifère
Cladina rangiferina

The gray reindeer lichen is a species of lichen that is typical to the Borealie, growing to a height of between 5 to 10 centimetres (2 to 4 in.). It is found in abundance to the north of the 50th parallel. This lichen grows in open, dry terrain which is often sandy. It grows slowly, and some clusters of lichen may be a hundred years old.(8,13)

 

The survival of the woodland caribou, Rangifer tarandus caribou, in winter is closely linked to the presence of the gray reindeer lichen. The caribou removes the snow with its hooves in order to reach the lichen which grows flush with the ground.(7)

 

REFERENCES       

1)        Burt, William H. and Richard P. Grossenheider.  1992.  Les mammifères de l’Amérique du Nord (au nord du Mexique).  Éditions Broquet inc. Quebec. Canada.

 

2)        Farrar, John L. 1995.  Les arbres du Canada.  2nd edition. Fides. Canada

 

3)    Frère Marie-Victorin É.C. 1995.  Flore Laurentienne.  3rd edition. Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal. Quebec. Canada.

 

4)    Gauthier, Robert.  2001.  Les sphaignes boréales.  Le Naturaliste Canadien.  Quebec.  Canada.  125(3).

 

5)    Groupe Fleurbec.  1987.  Plantes sauvages des lacs, rivières et tourbières.  Fleurbec.  Quebec.  Canada.

 

6)    Kaufman, Kenn.  2000.  Birds of North America.  Houghton Mifflin Company.  New York.  New York.

 

7)    Prescott, Jacques and Pierre Richard.  1996.  Mammifères du Québec et de l’Est du Canada.   Éditions Michel Quintin.  Quebec.  Canada.

 

8)    Rouleau, Raymond, et al.  1990.  Petite flore forestière du Québec.  2nd edition.  Les Publications du Québec.  Quebec.  Canada.

 

9)    Stokes, Donald et Lillian Stokes.  1997.  Guide des oiseaux de l’est de l’Amérique du Nord.  Broquet.  Quebec.  Canada.

 

INTERNET SITES

 

10) Fédération des producteurs acéricoles du Québec.  www.maple-erable.qc.ca  Consulted on March 18, 2003.

 

11) http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/pinban/all.html  Consulted on March 21, 2003.

       Rudolph, T.D., Laidly, P.R. 1990. Pinus banksiana Lamb. Jack pine. IN Burns, Russell M., Honkala, Barbara H., technical coordinators. Silvics of North America. Volume 1. Conifers. Agric. Handb. 654. Washington, DC : U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: 280-293. [13391].

 

12) http://www.treeguide.com/index.asp  Consulted on March 21, 2003.

 

13) http://www.borealforest.org/lichens/lichen3.htm Consulted on March 21, 2003.