Usnea strigosa

Also known as Bushy Beard Lichen, Fringed Beard Lichen, Strigose Beard Lichen

Bushy beard lichen forms intricate, shrubby tufts that cling to the bark and twigs of hardwood trees across eastern North America. Its branching stems are densely covered in tiny, spine-like side branchlets and often terminate in broad, disc-like reproductive structures called apothecia. Highly sensitive to atmospheric pollution, it serves as a natural indicator of pristine air and healthy forest ecosystems.