Lethariella intricata (Moris) Krog.

    Thallus shrubby, erect (seldom pendent), 5-10 cm long, rather stiff, branches intertwined arising from a unique holdfast, roughly terete, highly branched, surface uneven, apices pointed, darker, elastic cartilaginous central axis present (as in Usnea) except in the hollow basis of main branches; grey, dull grey when humid and grey-ochre when dry. Apothecia very rare, laminal, sessile to shortly stalked, disc concave to plane, brown, exciple concolourous to the thallus, isidiate. Ascospores simple, colourless, ellipsoid, 7-9 x 2-3 µm. Photobiont: trebouxioid. Cortex: C-, K+ yellow, Pd+ yellow. Very rare and restricted to some areas notably in Corsica and continental France. On vertical walls of large siliceous rocks exposed and windy (most often in the collinean belt) or seldom on coniferous barks, in Mediterranean and Macaronesia areas subjected to oceanic influence. N.B. Identification confirmed by P. CLERC.