Usnea angulata

Usnea angulata Ach.
Rough Beard

Photo © Jason Hollinger, Great Smoky Mts., N.C., 16 October 2009

Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: G3G5

State Rank: S1S2

Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: No

SWAP 2015 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes

2025 SGCN Priority Tier: High Conservation Concern

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Mesic mixed forests near streams

Description

Pale yellow-green thallus of terete branches with an elastic (when wet) or hard central cord or axis; thallus pendent, up to 20 cm long, usually appearing angular & crumpled, without smooth arcs; branches with longitudinal ridges, often angular in cross-section; short acute-tipped branches called fibrils frequent along main branches; soralia near tips of branches common, small, containing both soredia & isidia, the latter sometimes also developing away from soralia; medulla thick, dense, white; CHEMISTRY: medulla K+ yellow turning red (norstictic, salazinic & galbinic acids); FIELD ID possible with experience

Similar Species

Other pendant Usnea in the mountains lack prominent longitudinal ridges

Related Rare Species

Usnea baileyi, U. dimorpha

Habitat

Mesic mixed forests near streams; in Ga. noted on Alnus & Quercus bark

Life History

Corticolous fruticose lichenized fungus, photobiont a green alga (Trebouxia?).

Survey Recommendations

Investigate likely streams in Southern Blue Ridge, starting from known locations

Range

Southern Blue Ridge

Threats

Unknown (air pollution? climate change?)

SWAP 2025 Threat Matrix

Threat 1 Threat 2 Threat 3

General Threat Pollution Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases Climate change & severe weather

Specific Threat Air-borne pollutants Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Habitat shifting & alteration

	Threat 1	Threat 2	Threat 3
General Threat	Pollution	Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Climate change & severe weather
Specific Threat	Air-borne pollutants	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Habitat shifting & alteration

Georgia Conservation Status

Rare, probably imperiled to critically imperiled in Ga. (ranked S1 in both N.C. & Va.); has apparently declined dramatically, now extirpated from most of historical range

Conservation Management Recommendations

A survey is needed

SWAP 2025 Conservation Actions:

Action 1: Complete a distributional survey to assess current range, conservation status or to identify best populations
Action 2: Provide technical and/or financial support to landowners to help them manage rare species and habitats on their property
Action 3: Restore or enhance habitat (e.g., control invasives, restore hydrology, etc.)

References

Brodo, I. M. 2001. Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Brodo, I. M. 2016. Keys to lichens of North America: revised and expanded. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Esslinger, T. L. 2021. A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. Version 24. Opuscula Philolichenum 20: 100-394.

Harris, R. C. & D. Ladd. 2005. Preliminary draft: Ozark lichens. Unpublished manuscript, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

2 August 2022