Warty Beard Lichen vs Witches' Whiskers Lichen

Usnea ceratina compared with Usnea florida

Key Differences

• Warty Beard Lichen is Extinct while Witches' Whiskers Lichen is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Warty 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 ceratina	Usnea florida

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Warty Beard Lichen

EX — Extinct

Witches' Whiskers Lichen

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Warty Beard Lichen	Witches' Whiskers Lichen
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Warty Beard Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (Norway, Portugal, Sweden), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia).

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 4 countries:

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