Evernia divaricata (L.) Ach.
Letharia divaricata (L.) Hue
Thallus fruticose, small bush forming, 10-15 cm long, flexible, and soft, composed of numerous lobes, strap-shaped, hinged branched-like, 0.5-2 mm wide, with minute lateral twigs, 0.5-1 mm long, surface uneven, often cracked, more or less angular cut, green-yellowish to green-greyish. Apothecia very scarce, emerging towards the middle of branches, sessile, cup-shaped, 3-8 mm diam., lower surface greenish, markedly veined, disc smooth, brown-orange. Ascii 8-spored, 35-50 x 12-18 µm according to our own measures. Ascospores broadly ellipsoid, simple, colourless, 6-10 x 4-6 µm, (7-10 x 5-6 µm according to our measures). Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Cortex : C-, K+/- yellow, KC-, Pd-. Corticolous, montane, mostly on coniferous branches (notably Abies), notably in humid valleys subjected to mist. Absent in our prospection area. Worth to mention, this species is rather similar to some Usnea (notably those with axial cord in branches) or some Ramalina and notably Ramalina farinacea (but this species is sorediate). Sometimes mistaken with montane terricolous specimen of Evernia prunastri var. arenaria.