Old Man'S Beard Lichen vs Witches' Whiskers Lichen

Usnea barbata compared with Usnea florida

Key Differences

• Old Man'S Beard Lichen is Extinct while Witches' Whiskers Lichen is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Old Man'S Beard Lichen	Witches' Whiskers Lichen
Kingdom same	Fungi (เห็ดรา)	Fungi (เห็ดรา)
Phylum same	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class same	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order same	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)
Family same	Parmeliaceae	Parmeliaceae
Genus same	Usnea	Usnea
Species	Usnea barbata	Usnea florida

Evolutionary Relationship

Old Man'S Beard Lichen and Witches' Whiskers Lichen share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Usnea.

Conservation Status

Old Man'S Beard Lichen

EX — Extinct

Witches' Whiskers Lichen

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Old Man'S Beard Lichen	Witches' Whiskers Lichen
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Old Man'S 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.

Witches' Whiskers Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States