Beard Lichen vs

Usnea subscabrosa compared with Usnea cornuta

Key Differences

• Beard Lichen is Not Evaluated while is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Beard Lichen
Kingdom same	Fungi (Pilze)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum same	Ascomycota (Schlauchpilze)	Ascomycota (Schlauchpilze)
Class same	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order same	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)
Family same	Parmeliaceae	Parmeliaceae
Genus same	Usnea	Usnea
Species	Usnea subscabrosa	Usnea cornuta

Evolutionary Relationship

Beard Lichen and share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Usnea.

Conservation Status

Beard Lichen

NE — Not Evaluated

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Beard Lichen
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Beard Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway, Portugal, and United States.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Beard Lichen

The Beard Lichen (Usnea subscabrosa) is a species in the genus Usnea. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Usnea cornuta is a fruticose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae, assessed as Near Threatened (NT). It forms shrubby, branching thalli that hang from tree branches and twigs, typically in humid forest environments. Like all Usnea species, it is highly sensitive to air pollution, particularly sulfur dioxide, making it a useful bioindicator of air quality.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal