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{{Short description|Genus of lichens}}
{{Automatic_taxobox 
| image = Usnea cavernosa - Flickr - pellaea.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Usnea cavernosa]]''
| taxon = Usnea
| authority = [[Johann Jacob Dillenius|Dill.]] ex. [[Michel Adanson|Adans.]] (1763)
| type_species = ''Usnea florida''
| type_species_authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) [[F.H.Wigg.]] (1780)
| synonyms = * ''Alectoria'' {{au|[[Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link|Link]] (1833)}}
* ''Eumitria'' {{au|[[Stirt.]] (1881)}}
* ''Neuropogon'' {{au|[[Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck|Nees]] & [[Flot.]] (1834)}}
* ''Usneomyces'' {{au|E.A.Thomas ex [[Raffaele Ciferri|Cif.]] & [[Ruggero Tomaselli|Tomas.]] (1953)}}
| synonyms_ref = {{sfn|Species Fungorum|ref=SF}}
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = [[List of Usnea species|about 130 accepted species]]
}}

'''''Usnea''''' is a [[genus]] of [[fruticose lichen|fruticose]] [[lichen]]s in the large family [[ Parmeliaceae]]. The genus, which currently contains roughly 130 species, was established by [[Michel Adanson]] in 1763. Species in the genus grow like leafless mini-[[shrub]]s or [[tassel]]s [[Holdfast (biology)|anchored]] on bark or twigs. Members of the genus are [[List of common names of lichen genera|commonly called]] '''old man's beard''', '''beard lichen''', or '''beard moss'''. Usnea lichens are characterized by their shrubby growth form, elastic branches with a central cord, and distinctive soralia that produce vegetative [[propagule]]s. They vary in colour from pale green to yellow-green, grey-green, reddish, or variegated, and range in size from a few millimetres in polluted areas to over three metres long in species like ''[[Usnea longissima]]''.

Members of the genus are similar to those of the genus ''[[Alectoria (fungus)|Alectoria]]''.<ref name=SSFGCL>Field Guide to California Lichens, Stephen Sharnoff, Yale University Press, 2014, {{ISBN|978-0-300-19500-2}}</ref>{{rp|148}} A distinguishing test is that the branches of ''Usnea'' are somewhat elastic, but the branches of ''Alectoria'' snap cleanly off.<ref name=SSFGCL/>{{rp|148}} ''Usnea'' species are widely distributed across [[temperate]] and [[tropical]] regions worldwide, growing primarily on trees but occasionally on rocks, and are sensitive [[bioindicator]]s of [[air quality]], thriving only in unpolluted environments. The genus has a complex [[taxonomy (biology)|taxonomic]] history, with many species historically over-described due to environmental variations, though modern approaches using chemical, [[morphology (biology)|morphological]], and [[molecular phylogenetics|molecular]] analyses have helped clarify relationships. ''Usnea'' lichens have been used [[traditional medicine|traditionally]] for medicinal purposes, textile [[natural dye|dyes]], fire starters, and occasionally as emergency food, and serve important ecological roles including providing nesting material for birds.

==Systematics==

===Historical taxonomy===

The genus ''Usnea'' was [[circumscription (taxonomy)|circumscribed]] by [[Michel Adanson]] in 1763.{{sfn|Adanson|1763|p=616}} He used the name designated by [[Johann Jacob Dillenius]], whose earlier published description did not meet the rules of [[valid publication]] as established by the [[International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants]]. Adanson did not specify a [[type specimen]]; the species ''[[Usnea florida]]'', moved to the genus by [[Friedrich Heinrich Wiggers]] in 1780, has been designated as the [[lectotype]].{{sfn|Index Fungorum|ref=IF}}
[[File:Historia muscorum plate 11 Usnea.jpg|thumb|left|''Usnea'', as depicted in Dillenius's 1768 work ''[[Historia muscorum]]'']]
Since the establishment of the genus, hundreds of ''Usnea'' species have been described. A three-volume series by [[Józef Motyka]] published between 1936 and 1947 listed 451 species.{{sfn|Motyka|1936}} However, Motyka applied a strongly typological species concept, treating each minor morphological variant as a distinct species and resulting in an inflated taxonomy. Modern lichenologists recognize that Motyka's approach, which relied heavily on characteristics strongly influenced by environmental conditions (such as thallus color, branch thickness, presence of foveoles, and thallus length), has led to extensive [[synonym (taxonomy)|synonymy]] and confusion within the genus.{{sfn|Clerc|1998|pp=322–327}} By 1998, more than 770 names had been published globally, and it was estimated that approximately half were synonyms.{{sfn|Clerc|1998|pp=321, 338}}

Modern taxonomic treatments of ''Usnea'' emphasize a populational species concept, focusing on the variability within populations rather than fixed morphological ideals. This approach recognizes species based on correlated discontinuities in two or more independent characters, including chemistry, anatomy, and morphology, along with an absence or rarity of intermediate forms.{{sfn|Clerc|1998|pp=323–324}} Morphological characters such as the glossiness of the cortex, the pigmentation of the basal portion, the presence and morphology of [[soralia]], {{lichengloss|isidiomorphs}} (structures resembling isidia but originating from medullary hyphae), and the form and arrangement of fibrils have proven particularly useful.{{sfn|Clerc|1998|pp=327–335}}

Chemical analysis, particularly through [[thin-layer chromatography]], has become essential for accurately distinguishing species, as many morphological traits are influenced significantly by environmental factors. [[Philippe Clerc (lichenologist)|Philippe Clerc]], a Swiss lichenologist who has specialized in studying ''Usnea'', has cautioned against the recognition of species based solely on chemical differences ("chemotypes") unless strongly correlated morphological or anatomical differences are also present.{{sfn|Clerc|1998|p=335}}

By the late 1990s, modern interpretations based on the populational concept, extensive field and herbarium studies, and routine chemical analyses were contributing to a substantial reduction in the total number of recognized species, as previously named taxa were increasingly recognized as synonyms or environmentally induced variations of fewer, more broadly defined species. Clerc estimated at the time that around half of the more than 770 published names would eventually be reduced to synonymy, while also noting that the genus remained incompletely known, especially in tropical regions.{{sfn|Clerc|1998|p=338}} Historically, the inflated number of species resulted partly from Motyka's limited opportunities for extensive field studies outside Europe and his reliance on typological rather than populational concepts. Motyka's limited access to advanced chemical analytical tools and his emphasis on characters easily observable with limited optical equipment also contributed to the historical complexity and confusion in ''Usnea'' taxonomy.{{sfn|Clerc|1998|pp=336–338}}

[[Molecular phylogenetics|Molecular]] studies have highlighted the importance of accurate species identification in the genus ''Usnea'', demonstrating that incorrect identifications can significantly distort phylogenetic analyses. For instance, careful morphological and anatomical re-examinations of voucher specimens previously used in molecular studies revealed that supposed synonymies, such as those between ''[[Usnea barbata|U.&nbsp;barbata]]'' and ''[[Usnea dasopoga|U.&nbsp;dasopoga]]'', were incorrect. Instead, these species are distinct and separable by anatomical measurements and chemistry, underscoring the necessity of integrating careful morphological analysis with molecular techniques in systematic studies.{{sfn|Clerc|Naciri|2021|pp=221–226}} Recent molecular [[DNA barcoding|barcoding]] studies of ''Usnea'' have shown mixed results. While [[internal transcribed spacer]] (ITS) barcoding provides reliable identification for some species, it fails to fully resolve complex aggregate taxa, such as the ''[[Usnea cornuta|U.&nbsp;cornuta]]'' complex. Identification through simple [[BLAST (biotechnology)|BLAST]] searches of public databases can be problematic due to misidentifications in published sequences. Evidence suggests some species groups within ''Usnea'' are undergoing rapid evolution, with traditional species circumscriptions sometimes containing multiple distinct genetic [[clade]]s or being intermixed within individual clades. This evolutionary complexity creates additional challenges for taxonomists working to establish stable species boundaries within the genus.{{sfn|Cannon|Divakar|Yahr|Aptroot|2023|pp=66–67}}

A group within ''Usnea'', historically treated as the [[subgenus]] or genus ''Eumitria'', includes species characterized by having a tubular central axis throughout the entire thallus; these are referred to as "eumitrioid" species. Although once proposed as a separate genus based on morphological and phylogenetic distinctions, the taxonomic placement of ''Eumitria'' remains debated due to unresolved phylogenetic relationships and overlapping morphological characteristics. The term "eumitrioid" continues to be used informally until clear phylogenetic evidence supports formal recognition.{{sfn|Truong|Clerc|2013|pp=383–384}}

===Phylogenetics===

The [[mitochondrial genome]]s of several ''Usnea'' species have been studied, revealing high variability in [[genome]] size and structure among species, with considerable differences in the amount and type of non-coding ([[intron]]ic) sequences. All five species investigated (''[[Usnea halei|U.&nbsp;halei]]'', ''[[Usnea mutabilis|U.&nbsp;mutabilis]]'', ''[[Usnea subfusca|U.&nbsp;subfusca]]'', ''[[Usnea subgracilis|U.&nbsp;subgracilis]]'', and ''[[Usnea subscabrosa|U.&nbsp;subscabrosa]]'') lacked the mitochondrial gene ''atp9'', which is involved in energy production, suggesting that these lichens have evolved an obligate dependency on their algal partners for essential energy-related functions.{{sfn|Funk|Adams|Spotten|Van Hove|2018|pp=305–308}}

===Naming===

The name ''Usnea'' is probably derived from the [[Arabic]] word ''Ushnah'', meaning moss or lichen, though it may also mean "rope-like".{{sfn|Yavuz|Çobanoğlu|2010|p=4}}{{sfn|Dobson|2011|p=445}} Based on fossilized ''Usnea'' found in [[Baltic amber]], the genus dates back to at least the late [[Eocene]], about 34 million years ago.{{sfn|Kaasalainen|Rikkinen|Schmidt|2020|p=319}}

==Description==
[[File:Usnea angulata (4502228362).jpg|thumb|right|''[[Usnea angulata]]'' has ridged branches.]]
''Usnea'' lichens are [[fruticose lichen|fruticose]]. Structurally they are shrubby, often with many branches, and can be erect or {{lichengloss|pendent}}.{{sfn|Dobson|2011|p=445}} Some trailing species can grow to considerable size; strands of ''[[Usnea longissima]]'', for example, may exceed {{convert|3|meters|feet}} in length.{{sfn|Brodo|Sharnoff|Sharnoff|2001|p=11}} Colours vary depending on the species, from straw-coloured, yellow-green or pale green through green or greyish-green to reddish or variegated red and green.{{sfn|McCarthy|Mallett|2004|p=80}} Unlike other similar-looking fruticose lichens, species in this genus have an elastic chord or axis running through the middle of the thallus that can be revealed by gently pulling a filament apart from either end.{{sfn|Brodo|Sharnoff|Sharnoff|2001|pages=709–710}}

Some ''Usnea'' species have distinctive soralia, which are structures that produce vegetative [[propagule]]s and serve as an important taxonomic character for species identification. Soralia in ''Usnea'' vary in morphology, being characterized by their surface (raised, depressed, or excavate), size, shape (regular or irregular), margin definition, density on branches, and the presence or absence of isidia, with these features being genetically determined and correlating with distinct chemical and geographic properties of different species.{{sfn|Clerc|1987|pp=99–102}} Few ''Usnea'' species produce true isidia (small vegetative outgrowths covered entirely by cortex), with ''[[Usnea hirta|U.&nbsp;hirta]]'' being one example. Many species instead develop fragile isidium-like structures that often erode into soralia. The soredia produced from these structures can become partly corticated, rounded, or finger-like, and are termed isidiomorphs. Species that are entirely sorediate (such as ''[[Usnea glabrata|U.&nbsp;glabrata]]'', ''[[Usnea fulvoreagens|U.&nbsp;fulvoreagens]]'', and ''[[Usnea esperantiana|U.&nbsp;esperantiana]]'') never produce isidiomorphs and are distinctive for this reason. The characteristics of soralia—their outline when viewed from above, their profile from the side, their size relative to branches, their distribution, and the presence or absence of isidiomorphs—are critical features for distinguishing between morphologically similar species.{{sfn|Cannon|Divakar|Yahr|Aptroot|2023|pp=66–67}}

Holdfast coloration can be diagnostically useful, with certain species including ''[[Usnea flavocardia|U.&nbsp;flavocardia]]'', ''[[Usnea fragilescens|U.&nbsp;fragilescens]]'', ''[[Usnea subfloridana|U.&nbsp;subfloridana]]'', ''[[Usnea silesiaca|U.&nbsp;silesiaca]]'' and ''[[Usnea wasmuthii|U.&nbsp;wasmuthii]]'' showing blackening at the holdfast, while in other shrubby species the holdfast remains pale. Young ''Usnea'' thalli are rarely identifiable using morphological characteristics alone, often requiring chemical [[spot test (lichen)|spot tests]] on the medulla (ideally supported by [[thin-layer chromatography]]) for accurate identification.{{sfn|Cannon|Divakar|Yahr|Aptroot|2023|pp=66–67}}

''Usnea'' can be distinguished from similar-looking fruticose lichen genera such as ''[[Evernia]]'' and ''[[Ramalina]]'' by several key features. While these other genera also grow as gray-green or yellow-green tufts on trees, they typically have flatter, less extensively branched thalli and lack the distinctive elastic, cartilaginous central axis that characterizes ''Usnea''.{{sfn|Cannon|Divakar|Yahr|Aptroot|2023|pp=66–67}}

''Usnea'' looks very similar to the plant [[Spanish moss]], so much so that the latter's Latin name is derived from it (''[[Tillandsia usneoides]]'', the 'Usnea-like [[Tillandsia]]').

==Distribution and habitat==
[[File:Usnea in Baikal reservate.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Long, pendulous ''Usnea'' lichens in the [[Baikal Nature Reserve]], Russia]]
''Usnea'' lichens are widely distributed in both the northern and southern hemisphere, in both [[Temperate climate|temperate]] and [[Tropical climate|tropical]] regions.{{sfn|McCarthy|Mallett|2004|p=80}} They show significant diversity, particularly in [[tropical]] and [[subtropical]] regions, and occupy a variety of habitats, from humid forests to arid and [[alpine climate|alpine]] environments. In South America, the diversity of ''Usnea'' species is particularly high, with many species adapted to specialized habitats. Studies in southern Brazil identified 17 corticolous (tree-inhabiting), shrubby species lacking vegetative propagules, some of which were previously unknown.{{sfn|Gerlach|Clerc|Borges da Silveira|2017|pp=199–238}} In the tropical [[Andes]] and [[Galápagos Islands]], eumitrioid ''Usnea'' species, characterized by a tubular central axis, include both widespread species such as ''[[Usnea baileyi|U.&nbsp;baileyi]]'' and species [[endemism|endemic]] to specific mountainous areas.{{sfn|Truong|Clerc|2013|pp=383–395}} Additionally, species with distinctive red-orange pigmentation, such as ''[[Usnea crocata|U.&nbsp;crocata]]'' and ''[[Usnea rubricornuta|U.&nbsp;rubricornuta]]'', have a distribution that integrates elements from North America, Africa, and Asia, emphasizing the cosmopolitan nature of this genus.{{sfn|Truong|Bungartz|Clerc|2011|pp=477–503}}
In Asia, ''Usnea'' diversity has also been well documented, with studies identifying multiple species across various climatic zones. In South Korea, detailed taxonomic work has recorded several species, including new records such as ''[[Usnea hakonensis|U.&nbsp;hakonensis]]''.{{sfn|Jayalal|Joshi|Oh|Koh|2013|pp=126–130}} In southern [[Russian Far East|Far East Russia]], nineteen species have been confirmed, with some species newly reported for Russia.{{sfn|Ohmura|Skirina|Skirin|2017|pp=1–10}}

In the Philippines, ''Usnea'' is abundant in mountainous regions, yet remains understudied. A detailed review documented at least 81 species across the archipelago, including taxa of pharmaceutical and agricultural interest, and noted regions requiring further exploration.{{sfn|Galinato|Baguinon|Santiago|2018|pp=39–48}} Further integrative research combining morphological and molecular approaches in the southern Philippines has confirmed an additional 20 taxa, including newly described species and new records for the country, illustrating ongoing discovery and taxonomic refinement.{{sfn|Gerlach|Clerc|Lücking|Moncada|2023|pp=451–480}}

In Europe, ''Usnea'' is common in temperate and boreal forests. Estonia, for example, hosts species that predominantly colonize spruce (''Picea''), but also occasionally grow on deciduous trees and even rocks.{{sfn|Tõrra|Randlane|2007|pp=415–438}} Similarly, in Belarus, the genus comprises at least 15 species, with ''[[Usnea hirta|U. hirta]]'', ''[[Usnea dasopoga|U.&nbsp;dasopoga]]'', and ''[[Usnea subfloridana|U.&nbsp;subfloridana]]'' being the most common.{{sfn|Tsurykau|Golubkov|Bely|Bolsun|2024|pp=270–287}}

''Usnea'' is also diverse on islands. A 2018 study conducted in the Galápagos Islands recognized 27 species, with a relatively high proportion of endemic species.{{sfn|Bungartz|Truong|Herrera-Campos|Clerc|2018|pp=571–629}} In tropical West Africa, on the islands of [[São Tomé and Príncipe]], 15 species have been identified, including new species such as ''[[Usnea beckeri|U.&nbsp;beckeri]]'' and ''[[Usnea longiciliata|U.&nbsp;longiciliata]]''.{{sfn|Nadel|Clerc|2022|pp=271–289}}

''Usnea'' lichens appear in areas with low levels of [[Air pollution effects|air pollution]]. They can often be found on the ground in areas with where trees or branches have recently been cut, such as orchards (after [[pruning]]) and active [[logging]] areas.<ref name="Cardon-2007">{{Cite book |last=Cardon |first=Dominique |title=Natural Dyes: Sources, Tradition, Technology and Science |publisher=Archetype Publications |others=Technical advisors: Jo Kirby and Catherine Higgitt |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-904982-00-5 |location=London |pages=524–525 |language=en}}</ref>

==Ecology==
[[File:Usnea ceratina - Flickr - pellaea (1).jpg|thumb|right|''Usnea ceratina'']]
''Usnea'' lichens reproduce via [[vegetative reproduction|vegetative]] means through [[fragmentation (reproduction)|fragmentation]], [[asexual reproduction|asexual]] means through [[soredium|soredia]], or [[sexual reproduction|sexual]] means through [[ascogonium]] and [[spermatogonium]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Marand|first=Sajan|title=A Text Book of Botany: Vol. III|publisher=Calicut University|chapter-url=http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1s6eg/PLANTWORLDSCANVOLUME/resources/44.htm|access-date=6 December 2012|pages=87–90|date=5 January 2010|chapter=Usnea}}</ref> The growth rate of lichens in nature is slow, but can be increased in laboratory conditions.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Optimization of Culture Conditions for Lichen ''Usnea ghattensis'' G. Awasthi to Increase Biomass and Antioxidant Metabolite Production|journal=Food Technol. Biotechnol.|volume=47|issue=1|year=2009|url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/52602|issn=1330-9862 |pages=7–12}}</ref>

Like other lichens, ''Usnea'' often grows on sick or dying trees due to the pre-existing loss of canopy leaves, allowing for greater photosynthesis by the lichen's algae; this leads some gardeners to mistakenly blame the lichen for the tree's leaf loss and illness.<ref>{{cite book|last=Brodo|first=Irwin M.|title=Lichens of North America|year=2001|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=9780300082494|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YyS-hS15Ty4C&pg=PA57|author2=Sylvia Duran Sharnoff |author3=Stephen Sharnoff |author4=Canadian Museum of Nature |access-date=6 December 2012|pages=57–58}}</ref>

A study in Maritime Antarctica found that ''Usnea'' [[community (ecology)|communities]] are predominantly distributed on wind-exposed convex terrain, making their presence an effective proxy for identifying areas with minimal snow cover during winter. High-resolution [[remote sensing]] imagery can accurately map these communities, offering insights for modeling [[permafrost]] distribution and ecological processes influenced by snow cover.{{sfn|Vieira|Mora|Pina|Schaefer|2014|pp=69–75}}

''Usnea'' is very sensitive to [[air pollution]], especially [[sulfur dioxide]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Ecology of Industrial Pollution|year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521514460|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t4yauYHrCRoC&pg=PA49|editor=Batty, Lesley C. |editor2=Hallberg, Kevin B.|access-date=4 December 2012|page=49|series=Ecological Reviews|quote=''Usnea'' spp., at one time widespread and luxuriant, almost entirely disappeared from a major area of England and Wales covering at least 68 000 km² and at least 6 000 km² of lowland Scotland, mainly as a result of the increase in atmospheric pollution.}}</ref> Under poor growing conditions, such as areas high in pollution, they may grow no larger than a few millimetres, if they survive at all. Where the air is unpolluted, they can grow to 10–20&nbsp;cm long. It can sometimes be used as a [[bioindicator]], because it tends to only grow in those regions where the air is clean,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lichens.net/2018/01/usnea-lichens.html|title=Usnea Lichens|website=www.lichens.net|access-date=2018-04-06}}</ref> and of high quality.

==Uses==
===By humans===
==== Traditional medicines ====
According to Paul Bergner, Author of Medical Herbalism, "the [[usnic acid]] in ''Usnea'' is effective against [[gram-positive bacteria]] such as ''[[Streptococcus]]'' and ''[[Staphylococcus]]'', making ''Usnea'' a valuable addition to herbal formulas for sore throats and [[Skin and skin structure infection|skin infections]]. It is also effective against a bacterium that commonly causes [[pneumonia]]."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://medherb.com/Therapeutics/Immune_-_Lymphatics_and_antibiotics.htm|title = Lymphatic and antibiotic herbs}}</ref>

Bolivian traditional healers called the [[Kallawaya]] use ''Kaka sunka'' in [[decoction]] to cure lung problems. The lichen is macerated in alcohol and rubbed onto the body of those suffering from "nervous fragility".<ref name="Cardon-2007" />

Some believe that ''Usnea'', in high concentrations, could possess some toxicity.<ref>{{cite book|title=Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database|year=2000|publisher=Therapeutic Research Facility|location=Stockton, CA|isbn=0967613647|author=Jellin, JM|edition=3rd |author2=Gregory P. |author3=Batz F. |author4=Hitchens, K. |display-authors=etal |pages=1048–1049|chapter=USNEA|quote=Adverse reactions are uncommon in appropriate amounts.  Poisoning can be possible, although signs of poisoning have not yet been described.}}</ref> The [[National Toxicology Program]] evaluated the issue,<ref>{{cite web|title=Testing Status: Usnea lichen 09063|url=https://cebs.niehs.nih.gov/cebs/test_article/USNEALICHEN|work=Testing Status of Agents at NTP|publisher=National Toxicology Program|access-date=5 December 2012}}</ref> undertaking research involved feeding male and female rats and mice ground ''Usnea'' lichens containing usnic acid for three months at various concentrations. Rats suffered severe toxicity, with significant [[liver damage]] observed at various concentrations, while mice experienced liver toxicity, ovarian atrophy, and changes in reproductive cycles at higher doses. Additionally, both species showed weight loss at elevated exposure levels, and mice exhibited potential [[genetic damage]] after two weeks at high concentrations. A safe exposure level was established at 60 [[parts per million]], below which no adverse effects were observed.<ref>{{cite report |author=National Toxicology Program (NTP) |year=2022 |title=NTP technical report on the toxicity studies of ''Usnea'' lichens containing (+/−)-usnic acid (CASRN 125-46-2) administered in feed to F344/N Nctr rats and B6C3F1/Nctr mice. |location=Research Triangle Park, NC |publisher=National Toxicology Program |series=105 |doi=10.22427/NTP-TOX-105|pmc=9638892 }}</ref>

==== Dyes ====
''Usnea'' species have been used to create yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple [[Dye|dyes]] for textiles.{{sfn|Bolton|1991|p=27}}{{sfn|Casselman|2001|pp=33, 36}} This wide variety of possible colors can be achieved due to variations in chemical composition depending on the species, locality, and [[Race (biology)#In mycology and phytopathology|race]] of a particular specimen. Specifically, ''Usnea'' can contain [[Thamnolic acid|thamnolic]], squamatic, [[Barbatic acid|barbatic]], [[Salazinic acid|salazinic]], and alectorialic acids, all of which can affect dye color.<ref name="Cardon-2007" />

Many indigenous peoples of Central and South America, including the [[Rarámuri|Tarahumura]] and [[Mapuche]] people, have a history of dyeing with ''Usnea,'' generally to obtain orange and brown hues. The Tarahumura use them to dye [[wool]] blankets in brown and [[Russet (color)|russet]] hues, and the Mapuche have used ''[[Usnea florida]]'' to obtain orange. There is also anthropological evidence that ''[[Usnea cocca sonca]]'' was historically used for dyeing in Peru, and a lichen called ''cuaxapaxtle'' was used near Mexico City.<ref name="Cardon-2007" />

==== Cosmetics ====
''Usnea barbata'' has been used in cosmetic production for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties as a preservative and [[deodorant]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Ash|first=Michael|title=Handbook of Preservatives|year=2004|publisher=Synapse Info Resources|isbn=9781890595661|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XZ2QB7bu5LwC&pg=PA437|author2=Irene Ash |access-date=6 December 2012|page=437|chapter=Lichen (Usnea barbata) extract}}</ref>

==== Firestarters ====
When dry, ''Usnea'' lichens are flammable and can be used as a [[fire making|fire starter]].{{sfn|Woodland Trust|ref=WoodlandTrust}}

==== Food ====
Some ''Usnea'' species have been used as food sources during times of scarcity. For example, people in Bosnia and Herzegovina ate ''[[Usnea barbata]]'' during the [[Bosnian War]], particularly in the winter, when other plant material was not readily available.{{sfn|Redzic|Barudanovic|Pilipovic|2010|p=182}} They ground it into powdery "flour" to make bread or ate it as mush.{{sfn|Redzic|Barudanovic|Pilipovic|2010|p=180}}

===By other organisms===
The [[northern parula]], a species of [[New World warbler]] which breeds in North America, uses ''Usnea'' lichens in the construction of its [[bird nest|nest]] in some parts of its range. Where these lichens have declined due to air pollution, the bird has also vanished as a breeding species.{{sfn|DeGraaf|Yamasaki|2001|p=219}}

==Species==
{{Main|List of Usnea species}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Adanson |first=Michel |year=1763 |title=Familles des Plantes |volume=v. 1-2 |location=Paris |publisher=Chez Vincent |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/6958#page/1162/mode/1up }}
* {{cite journal |last=Articus |first=Kristina |title=''Neuropogon'' and the phylogeny of ''Usnea'' s.l. (Parmeliaceae, Lichenized Ascomycetes) |journal=[[Taxon (journal)|Taxon]] |date=November 2004 |volume=53 |issue=4 |pages=925–934 |url=http://herbarium-ren-abb-lichen.univ-rennes1.fr/Neuropogon925.pdf |issn=0040-0262 |doi=10.2307/4135560 |jstor=4135560 |bibcode=2004Taxon..53..925A }}
* {{cite web |title=Beard Lichens (''Usnea'' species) |publisher=[[Woodland Trust]] |url=https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/fungi-and-lichens/beard-lichens/ |access-date=27 May 2023 |ref=WoodlandTrust }}
* {{cite book |last=Bolton |first=Eileen M. |title=Lichens for Vegetable Dyeing |year=1991 |edition=2 |publisher=Robin & Russ Handweavers |location=McMinnville, Oregon |isbn=978-1-56659-001-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n5icsHmGVVIC }}
* {{cite book |last1=Brodo |first1=Irwin M. |last2=Sharnoff |first2=Sylvia Duran |last3=Sharnoff |first3=Stephen |year=2001 |title=Lichens of North America |location=New Haven, CT |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-08249-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/lichensofnortham0000brod/mode/2up |url-access=registration }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Bungartz |first1=Frank |last2=Truong |first2=Camille |last3=Herrera-Campos |first3=Maria de los Angeles |last4=Clerc |first4=Philippe |year=2018 |title=The genus ''Usnea'' (Parmeliaceae, Lecanoromycetes) in the Galapagos Islands |journal=Herzogia |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=571–629 |doi=10.13158/heia.31.1.2018.571 |bibcode=2018Herz...31..571. }}
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{{refend}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q121799 |from2=Q105492866 |from3=Q56609912
}}

[[Category:Usnea| ]]
[[Category:Parmeliaceae]]
[[Category:Lichen genera]]
[[Category:Lecanorales genera]]
[[Category:Taxa described in 1763]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Michel Adanson]]