I saw this on one of our drives through the forest. I was amazed I saw it, and then I was amazed by what I saw (it's tiny and delicate, and so interesting). There is so much to see on the forest floor, and this November, I've seen more than I ever expected. Figuring out what I've seen has been a challenge. I believe I've got the skinny green lichen right, still not sure about the variety of mushroom.

British Soldier lichen (Cladonia cristatella) is a composite organism (part fungus, part alga) that commonly grows on old wood or in soil and is known for its distinctive appearance: a tall, slender, grey-green stalk (the podetium) with a bright red, knob-like tip (the apothecium), which resembles a red-tipped match or a tiny flower.

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