Usnea scabrida is a foliose lichen that grows from holdfasts on trees.[1][2] It occurs in southwest Western Australia.[3] It is a very pale grayish-yellowish green, slender, pendant, branching from the base, unequally branching, and shrubby.[3] The cortex contains usnic acid, and the medulla contains scabrosins.[4] The lichen was described as a new species in 1844 by English botanist Thomas Taylor.[5]

Usnea scabrida
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Parmeliaceae
Genus: Usnea
Species:
U. scabrida
Binomial name
Usnea scabrida
Taylor (1844)

Usnea scabrida is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, but is also found outside Australia,[4] and in Queensland.[6] A subspecies Usnea scabrida subsp. elegans is found in eastern Australia.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Usnea scabrida". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  2. ^ "Usnea scabrida - ANBG Lichen website". anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b Cranfield, R. J; Western Australia. Dept. of Environment and Conservation. Science Division (2009), Cryptogam of the month, January 2009 : Usnea scabrida, Dept. of Environment & Conservation, retrieved 9 December 2018
  4. ^ a b "Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories: Usnea scabrida subsp. scabrida". www.anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  5. ^ Taylor, T. (1844). "Description of some new mosses and lichens from the Australian colonies". Phytologist. 1: 1093–1096.
  6. ^ Department of Environment and Science, Queensland (2014-10-20). "Species profile | Environment, land and water: Usnea scabrida". apps.des.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  7. ^ "Usnea scabrida subsp. elegans | Atlas of Living Australia". bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
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