11 August 2013 |
THE TITLE IS MISLEADING but not intentionally.
I finally was led to the correct identification of this growth by "The Flora of Nova Scotia' facebook page. To wit:
Usnea is the generic and scientific name for several species of lichen in the family Parmeliaceae, that generally grow hanging from tree branches, resembling grey or greenish hair. It is sometimes referred to commonly as Old Man's Beard, Beard Lichen, Tree's Dandruff, Woman's Long Hair, or Tree Moss. It should not be confused with Oak Moss (genus Evernia), which it physically resembles and is also called Tree Moss.[1] Usnea grows all over the world. Like other lichens it is a symbiosis of a fungus and an alga. The fungus belongs to the division Ascomycota, while the alga is a member of the division Chlorophyta.
Usnea is very sensitive to air pollution, especially sulfur dioxide.[9] Under bad conditions 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 cm long.
Courtesy of Wikipedia of which I contribute yearly as it is a non-advert site, with all its' operating expenses coming from donors like you and me. Thanks Himself!
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