Usnea esperantiana  

Thallus 4-6 cm, erect, rarely subpendent, shrubby, main branches 1-2 mm diam., conspicuous, lateral branches disproportionately thinner, 0.3-0.5 mm diam., numerous, entangled, often irregularly branched, markedly flexuose and contorted at apices. Thallus surface grey-green, not blackened at the base. Main branches foveolate, constricted at the point of attachment, thickly scabrid, papillate. Fibrils numerous over the whole thallus. Secondary branches smooth, becoming ± eroded towards the tips with numerous, ± rounded, white, flat to somewhat excavate, irregularly shaped and often confluent soralia, often recurved and resembling skeletal fingers, especially when heavily sorediate. Isidia absent. Medulla somewhat lax to compact.

Anamorph: not known.

Teleomorph: Ascomata apothecia, very rare in GB&I.

Chemistry: medulla C–, K+ yellow→red, KC–, Pd+ orange-red (salazinic, consalazinic and bourgeanic acids).