Usnea subfloridana Stirt.
Scottish Natur., 6: 294, 1882.
Synonyms: Usnea comosa subsp. eucomosa Motyka; Usnea comosa subsp. similis Motyka; Usnea comosa var. scabriuscula Motyka; Usnea plicata var. comosa (Ach.) Ach.; Usnea similis (Motyka) Räsänen
Description: Thallus fruticose-filamentous, greenish, shrubby to subpendent, 3-15(-20) cm long, richly and mainly isotomic-dichotomously branching, with divergent branches, very rarely pendulous and with subparallel branches. Main branches to 1.5 mm thick, tapering, the base blackened, the jet black pigmentation restricted to the very base, with few annular cracks; secondary branches not narrowed at attachment point. Papillae few to numerous, verrucose; fibrils few, not conspicuous, more abundant near the base and sparse terminally, not in a fish-bone like arrangement. Soralia typically punctiform, <50% of the branch diameter, of irregular shape, flat to slightly stipitate, more rarely fusing together and looking like a large soralium or enlarging ± isodiametrically and then >50% of the branch diameter, of irregular shape, slightly excavate; isidiomorphs always present, usually numerous and conspicuous. Cortex rather thick (8-12% of branch thickness), matt in longitudinal section; medulla white, thin (11-20%), dense to compact; central axis white, moderately thick (36–56%); ratio central axis/medulla (1.5-)2-5.3. Apothecia very rare. Photobiont chlorococcoid. Chemistry: cortex K-, C-, P-, with usnic acid; medulla: three chemotypes: (1) with thamnolic acid (K+ bright lemon yellow slowly turning orange, P+ yellow-orange) as a main substance; (2) with squamatic acid (K-, P-, UV+ whitish blue) as a main substance; (3) with both squamatic and thamnolic acids; alectorialic acid may occur as an accessory substance, especially in the apothecia (the disc reacting P+ yellow).
Growth form: Fruticose filamentous
Substrata: bark
Photobiont: green algae other than Trentepohlia
Reproductive strategy: mainly asexual, by soredia, or soredia-like structures (e.g. blastidia)
Commonnes-rarity: (info)
Alpine belt: absent
Subalpine belt: rather common
Montane belt: rare
Dry submediterranean belt: rare
Humid submediterranean belt: rare
Padanian area: absent
pH of the substrata:
1 2 3 4 5
Solar irradiation:
1 2 3 4 5
Aridity:
1 2 3 4 5
Eutrophication:
1 2 3 4 5
Poleotolerance:
0 1 2 3
Altitudinal distribution:
1 2 3 4 5 6
Rarity
absent
extremely rare
very rare
rare
rather rare
rather common
common
very common
extremely common
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Occurrence data
Predictive map
Current prediction (1981-2010)
Future prediction (2071-2100) SSP 1-2.6
Future prediction (2071-2100) SSP 5-8.5Predictive maps according to Francesconi et al. 2025
Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: University of Tartu
Estonia.
Herbarium: TU (32907)
2007/04/25
Isidiomorphs of U. subfloridana

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: University of Tartu
Estonia.
Herbarium: TU (32909)
2007/04/24
Dense medulla of U. subfloridana

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: University of Tartu
Estonia.
Herbarium: TU (32172)
2007/04/26
Fibrills of U. subfloridana

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: University of Tartu
Estonia.
Herbarium: TU (32173)
2007/04/26
Papillae on branches of U. subfloridana

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Bernard Bouffinier- Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=492&lang=en
France, Huelgoat

Bernard Bouffinier- Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=492&lang=en
France, Huelgoat

Jacques Haine Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=492&lang=en
France, Ardennes

Jacques Haine Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=492&lang=en
France, Ardennes
Growth form: Fruticose filamentous
Substrata: bark
Photobiont: green algae other than Trentepohlia
Reproductive strategy: mainly asexual, by soredia, or soredia-like structures (e.g. blastidia)
Commonnes-rarity: (info)
Alpine belt: absent
Subalpine belt: rather common
Montane belt: rare
Dry submediterranean belt: rare
Humid submediterranean belt: rare
Padanian area: absent
pH of the substrata:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Solar irradiation:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Aridity:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Eutrophication:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Poleotolerance:
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Altitudinal distribution:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Rarity
absent
extremely rare
very rare
rare
rather rare
rather common
common
very common
extremely common
Loading data...
Occurrence data
Predictive map



Predictive maps according to Francesconi et al. 2025

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: University of Tartu
Estonia.
Herbarium: TU (32907)
2007/04/25
Isidiomorphs of U. subfloridana

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: University of Tartu
Estonia.
Herbarium: TU (32909)
2007/04/24
Dense medulla of U. subfloridana

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: University of Tartu
Estonia.
Herbarium: TU (32172)
2007/04/26
Fibrills of U. subfloridana

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: University of Tartu
Estonia.
Herbarium: TU (32173)
2007/04/26
Papillae on branches of U. subfloridana

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Tiiu Tõrra; Owner: Tiiu Tõrra - Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Courtesy Danièle et Olivier Gonnet - Source: hhttps://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_U/Usnea_subfloridana.htm
France, 25/5/2015 - session AFL dans le Lot - Moulin du Saut, Gramat

Bernard Bouffinier- Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=492&lang=en
France, Huelgoat

Bernard Bouffinier- Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=492&lang=en
France, Huelgoat

Jacques Haine Source: http://www.lichensmaritimes.org/index.php?task=fiche&lichen=492&lang=en
France, Ardennes
