Usnea mutabilis

Bloody Beard, a reference photo
Photo: Jason Hollinger · CC BY 2.0 (licence)

Usnea mutabilis is a grayish-yellowish pale green, unequally branching, shrubby (fruticose) 3–7 cm long lichen commonly anchored on holdfasts on trees, mostly in eastern North America, sometimes in chaparral shrubs or pines in California. It is darker green than other members of the genus Usnea. The surface is covered with isolated, or clusters of, isidia. It lacks apothecia.

From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Is it poisonous?

We have no record of Bloody Beard being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.

Easily confused with

Classification

Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Ascomycota
Class
Lecanoromycetes
Order
Lecanorales
Family
Parmeliaceae
Genus
Usnea
Species
Usnea mutabilis

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