Ramalina fraxinea (L.) Ach. var. fraxinea

    Thallus coarsely tufted, pendent, 5-12 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, branches strap-shaped, 0,5-2 cm wide, rather tough, arising from a delimited holdfast, unequal in length (even on the same thallus), sometimes wider at their base, when dry straps may fold and become caniculate, more or less ramified, surface rough, minutely wrinkled, longitudinally lacerate, soralia and isidia absent, pseudocyphella frequent, inconspicuous, colour rather variable: grey-greenish, grey-yellowish, pale olive-green, pale grey. Apothecia frequent and numerous, marginal or lateral, occasionally subterminal, typically arranged on several levels towards the margin, at first cup-shaped or trumpet-shaped at stipe apices and at the end flat, 0.2-0.5 mm diam., disc concolourous or very pale beige. Ascospores kidney-shaped, 1-septate, 10-17 x 4-7 µm. Photobiont: Trebouxioid. Chemical spot tests negative. Frequent on slightly nutrient-rich bark of trees in well-lit and windy exposed habitats, notably ornament trees. Easily confused with Ramalina fastigiata of which the apothecia are clustered at strap apices, and sometimes especially when dry, for specimen with  thin branches and caniculate (and notably for the Ramalina fraxinea var. calicariformis) with Ramalina calicaris of which branches are thinner and more greenish and straight ascospores -and not kidney-shaped- (ascospores observation is often required in order to distinguish these two species).*