Bristly Beard Lichen vs

Usnea hirta compared with Usnea cornuta

Key Differences

• Bristly Beard Lichen is Least Concern while is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bristly Beard Lichen
Kingdom same	Fungi (грибы)	Fungi (грибы)
Phylum same	Ascomycota (аскомицеты)	Ascomycota (аскомицеты)
Class same	Lecanoromycetes (леканоромицеты)	Lecanoromycetes (леканоромицеты)
Order same	Lecanorales (леканоровые)	Lecanorales (леканоровые)
Family same	Parmeliaceae	Parmeliaceae
Genus same	Usnea	Usnea
Species	Usnea hirta	Usnea cornuta

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Bristly Beard Lichen

LC — Least Concern

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bristly Beard Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, 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.

Bristly Beard Lichen

The Bristly Beard Lichen (Usnea hirta) is a species in the genus Usnea. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. 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 3 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden