Overview
Long, hair-like pale green lichen that drapes from tree limbs like an old man's wispy beard - a sure sign of fresh air and a damp forest.
Ecology
A long-lived, slow-growing epiphyte that hangs from spruce and fir branches, intercepting cloud moisture and fog and releasing it drip-by-drip to the understory. The wiry thalli host diverse micro-fauna and are used by songbirds as nest lining and camouflage. Highly sensitive to air pollution and chronic drying, so robust tufts indicate clean, humid air. When storms shed branches, the fallen lichens decompose and contribute trace nutrients to otherwise nutrient-poor forest floors.