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Taxon  Report  
Usnea longissima  Ach.
Methuselah's beard lichen
Usnea longissima is a lichen that is native to California.
California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2 (limited distribution).
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
Observation Search
~86 records in California
yellowone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
Genus: Usnea
Family: Parmeliaceae  
Category: lichen  
PLANTS group:Lichen

Name Status:
Accepted by CNPS

Information about  Usnea longissima from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
Commercial availability unknown.
Photos on Calflora

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ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Description, Growth Rate: This lichen is fruticose, with very long stems and short, even side branches. It is considered the longest lichen in the world.[4] The stems are usually 15 to 30 cm in length but are sometimes much longer.[5] It is pale green to silvery-yellow. It has a distinct central cord, which is white.[6] D. longissima may grow to be 20 feet in length. It predominantly reproduces asexually through fragmentation. Spore-producing structures are rarely observed.[7] It can double its length each year. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 12/03/2024).