tangles from the branches of old trees

Size
Length: 5–30 cm
Lifespan
10–50 years
Diet
Obtains nutrients via symbiotic partnership. Fungus provides structure. Alga provides photosynthetic food. Requires clean air and high humidity.
Habitat
Hangs from the branches of trees throughout New Zealand, particularly in damp, undisturbed forests. A creature of the branch and the twig, the high canopy and the forest edge. Found from sea level to the subalpine zone, in humid, sheltered locations where the air is clean and the moss grows thick. The lichen of the tangled beard, the one that looks like the forest forgot to shave.
Range
Found in the South Island's beech forests and the North Island's western ranges. Most common in damp, undisturbed forests with high rainfall and clean air. Also found in temperate and cold regions worldwide.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
None significant. This species is common and widespread in clean-air areas. Localised threats include forest clearance, air pollution, and climate change reducing forest floor humidity.
Population
Not Threatened. This is a common and widespread lichen in New Zealand, particularly in the South Island's beech forests and the North Island's western ranges. It grows on the branches and trunks of native and introduced trees.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
fruticose lichen, safe to handle
Conservation Note
Endemic lichen; not assessed by NZTCS as lichens are generally outside the scope of current threat classifications.
Te Ao Māori
No recorded Māori name distinguishes the old man's beard lichen from other lichens. Lichens were generally called pūkohu (mosses and lichens) or pukorokoro (crustose lichens). The tangled, beard-like strands would have been noticed. It looked like an old man's beard. Like the hair of an elder. But no distinct name survives. The old man's beard lichen was sometimes used as a dye. The pale greenish pigment could be extracted. It was used to colour fibres. Though it was not as vibrant as other lichens.
Pale greyish-green strands hang from the branches. They look like a tangled beard. Usnea filipendula is the one that makes the trees look like old men. It gives the forest a face. The strands are branching and flexible. They often reach 10 to 30 centimetres in length. They are finer and more tangled than the usnea beard lichen. They form a dense, matted curtain on the branches. It is the lichen of the unshaven forest. The one that looks like the forest forgot to shave. What makes it special is the tangles. Old man's beard lichen is one of the most tangled lichens in New Zealand. Its strands are thin and wiry. They branch repeatedly and intertwine with each other. They form a dense, matted mass. It looks like a ball of yarn. Like a tangled fishing net. Like the beard of a man who has not shaved for a hundred years. It is the lichen of the messy hair. The one that cannot be combed straight. The one that is beautiful in its chaos. The strands are elastic and tough. They are not brittle like other fruticose lichens. They can be stretched and twisted without breaking. The central core is a dense cord of fungal hyphae. It is surrounded by a layer of algae and an outer cortex. It is a master of flexibility. A plant that bends without breaking. A lichen that can survive the wind and the rain. Biologically, the old man's beard lichen is a partnership. A fungus and an alga live together. The fungus provides structure and protection. The alga provides food through photosynthesis. The old man's beard lichen is also a bioindicator. It is sensitive to air pollution. Particularly sulphur dioxide. In polluted air, it dies. It is the canary of the canopy. The one that tells us whether the air is healthy. To find old man's beard lichen is to find the tangled hair on the branch. It is pale, matted, and soft. A living beard on the tree. You can run your fingers through the strands. Feel the tangles. The knots. The messy texture. It is the lichen of the unshaven forest. The one that proves that the forest has a personality.