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Methuselah's beard lichen
Dolichousnea longissima
47.1255, -122.866
Field Notes
Description:
Dolichousnea longissima (formerly Usnea longissima - changed in 2004) is a pale grayish green fruticose lichen that is characterized by a long central chord with short even branching along the sides. Dolichousnea longissima is considered the longest lichen in the world and is currently on threatened status. Reasons for its rarity are air pollution and loss of habitat. This fragmented specimen was 2 ft (61 cm) long.
Habitat:
Spotted on the ground under a stand of tall spruce, fir and cedars. Prefers tall stands of coniferous trees, especially spruce along the Pacific coast.
Notes:
Another factor in the species decline is that it is thought to be dispersal limited. In other words it rarely produce soredia, almost never produces apothecia and the fragments that are blown from trees (like this one) do not travel far from their source location.
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