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Usnea longissima Ach. Methuselah’s beard lichen, beard lichen
Methuselah's beard lichen, or another of the beard lichens, probably prompted J.R.R. Tolkein's imagination when he created ents—ancient, slow-moving tree creatures in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Identification: All beard lichens are fruticose—that is, shaped like tiny branching shrubs. But only Methuselah's beard lichen hangs in such long strips, pale yellowish-green in color, looking much like Spanish moss. Strands can reach lengths of almost 20' (6.1 m). The central chord is brownish or pinkish in color. Like many lichens, they are sensitive to pollution, especially to sulfur oxides released by some manufacturing processes, and populations are declining. Online References:
Stephen and Sylvia Sharnoff's lichen.com site The Environmental Protection Agency's Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants list Macrolichens of North America (Usnea) References:
Walewski, Joe, Lichens of the North Woods, Kollath+Stensaas Publishing, 2007, p. 139
Usnea longissima description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
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4/3/2010 · Owl’s Head Lighthouse, Owl’s Head, Maine
4/3/2010 · Owl’s Head Lighthouse, Owl’s Head, Maine
4/3/2010 · Birch Point Beach State Park, Owl’s Head, Maine
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ID is uncertain 
