Boreal Oakmoss

Evernia mesomorpha

Despite its name, Boreal Oakmoss is not a moss, but a complex symbiotic partnership between a fungus and a green alga.

Scientific name: Evernia mesomorpha
Taxonomy: Fungi › Ascomycota › Lecanoromycetes › Lecanorales › Parmeliaceae › Evernia
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Population trend: stable
Biome: forest
Habitat: Boreal coniferous forests, primarily growing on the bark and twigs of spruce, pine, and fir trees.
Diet: Self-nourishing via photosynthesis by its symbiotic algal partner, supplemented by absorbing water and minerals from the air.
Range: North American Boreal Forest, Northern Europe, Siberia, Hokkaido, Japan
Size: Bushy tufts spanning 3 to 10 cm in length
Lifespan: 30 to 80 years
Active: diurnal
Threats: Air pollution (particularly sulfur dioxide), habitat loss from clear-cutting, and severe forest fires.
Safe to approach?: Harmless. You can safely touch this soft, bushy lichen, but avoid pulling it off tree bark as it grows extremely slowly. It is highly sensitive to air pollution; its presence indicates excellent local air quality.

Evernia mesomorpha is a species of lichen belonging to the family Parmeliaceae.

Photo: aarongunnar, CC-BY, via iNaturalist