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Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: G5

State Rank: SNR

Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: No

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

SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

2025 SGCN Priority Tier:

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Woodlands, forests, swamps

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Description

Gray-green thallus of terete branches with an elastic (when wet) or hard central cord or axis; thallus pendent, wispy, with long, narrow, graceful branches, the largest with swollen cracks in rings around branches, resembling articulations in bones; long, narrow fibrils/side branches sparse, isidia & soralia absent; medulla narrow, dense, white, axis narrow, brown; CHEMISTRY: medulla either K+ yellow, PD+ orange (constictic acid), or K-, CK+ orange (diffractaic acid), sometimes also KC+ orange (barbatic acid); FIELD ID: swollen joints, very fine branches lacking soralia or isidia make this beard lichen unmistakable; perform field K test if any question

Similar Species

Usnea subgracilis could be confused with this species in the mountains, but it has sparse isidia & a PD+ red medulla

Related Rare Species

Usnea baileyi, U. dimorpha

Habitat

Woodlands, forests, swamps; substrates: hardwood bark: 21% Quercus & 29% other hardwoods or unknowns; conifer bark: 26% Taxodium, 21% Juniperus & 1 record on Pinus

Life History

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

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Statewide, though most records are from the Coastal Plain & Southern Blue Ridge (perhaps one of our most pollution-sensitive species)

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Uncommon

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

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.

Tripp, E. A. & J. C. Lendemer. 2020. Field guide to the lichens of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

2 August 2022