Stereocaulon groenlandicum

Stereocaulon groenlandicum is a species of snow lichen belonging to the family Stereocaulaceae. The lichen is characterized by its rigid, woody stem-like structures (pseudopodetia) that are firmly attached to the substrate, with small whitish leaf-like structures along their sides. It grows on rocks or soil in Arctic and boreal regions, with a circumpolar distribution pattern that includes Greenland, Alaska, and Spitsbergen. The species contains an unusual chemical composition for its genus, typically featuring atranorin, miriquidic acid, perlatolic acid, and anziaic acid. S. groenlandicum serves as a host to at least a dozen species of lichenicolous fungi and, while not abundant, contributes to the biodiversity of northern polar ecosystems. ...read more on Wikipedia.