reindeer moss

American  

noun

1. any of several lichens of the genus Cladonia, especially the gray, many-branched C. rangiferina, of Arctic and subarctic regions, eaten by reindeer and caribou.

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reindeer moss British  

noun

1. any of various lichens of the genus Cladonia , esp C. rangiferina , which occur in arctic and subarctic regions, providing food for reindeer

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Etymology

Origin of reindeer moss

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

Reindeer subsist largely on light-colored reindeer moss, which isn’t actually a moss but rather a type of lichen that grows in crunchy, carpet-like patches across northern latitudes.

From Seattle Times

Reindeer subsist primarily on reindeer moss, or Cladonia rangiferina, which isn't a moss but actually a species of algae-fungus fusion known as lichen.

From Science Daily

The room now has a few large plants in the corners, as well as a small rectangle of preserved reindeer moss on the wall.

From BBC

He finished his toilet, and when he sat down he disappeared under the reindeer moss.

From Literature

The population has grown by 50 percent over the last two decades, Morozova said, and large tracts of reindeer moss, a slow-growing staple of the species’ herbivore diet, have been lost due to over-grazing.

From Seattle Times