Usnea filipendula

Usnea filipendula
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Parmeliaceae
Genus: Usnea
Species:
U. filipendula
Binomial name
Usnea filipendula
Stirt. (1881)
Synonyms
  • Usnea dasopoga var. fibrillosa (Motyka) Keissl. (1960)
  • Usnea fibrillosa Motyka (1936)
  • Usnea muricata Motyka (1936)

Usnea filipendula, the fishbone beard lichen, is a pale gray-green fruticose lichen with a pendant growth form, growing in up to 20 cm many-branching tassels hanging from the bark of trees. In California, it mostly grows on mostly conifer in the Coast Range, but also in the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada range.:206 It lacks apothecia. It is similar to Usnea scabrata, but is darker, has a thicker cortex, and different chemistry. Lichen spot tests are K+ red, KC−, C−, and P+ yellow.