Description: This is one of the smallest (4-6cm) of the ‘beard lichens’ which form little erect tufts on a wide range of twigs and branches, for example, garden shrubs, fruit trees and thorns. The base of the ‘holdfast’ is unblackened and the tiny branches twist and writhe, bending at the ends to form hooked tips covered in white patches coated with soredia. The medulla (lower layer) is K + red, Pd + red (scrape away a little of the cortex (outer layer) then test). West and central Ireland; rare in the extreme east.

Key Identification Features:

• Small, shrubby ‘beard lichen’ with twisted branches and hooked tips; soredia common, scarring the branches white
• Medulla K + red, Pd + red; orchard trees and shrubs.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

Distribution Map from NBN: Usnea esperantiana at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Usnea esperantiana at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.