Authorities recently changed to Alectoria ochroleuca (Schrank) A. Massal.
Sched. Crit. Lich. Ital.: 47 (1855).
Basionym: Usnea ochroleuca Hoffm., Descr. Adumb. Plant Crypt. 2:7 (1791).
Protolog: Data lacking.
Type locality: Germany, Bavaria, Reg.-Bez. Oberfranken, Fichtelgebirge, Funck: Crypt. Gew. Ficht.: 420 (MW-Hoffm. 8562 - neotype). Designated by Brodo & Hawksworth (1977: 66).
Barcode: AF451734, AF451735
Coordinates: Data lacking.
Thallus: fruticose, erect, stiff, to 5 - 8 - 15 cm tall but usually much less, sometimes decumbent; branching anisotomic dichotomous, the branches terete, to 3 mm broad, the apices sometimes drooping, smooth to slightly ridged or tuberculate, with numerous longitudinally oriented, raised, whitish pseudocyphellae to 1 mm long; lower parts yellow to yellow-green, often blackened in parts, apices curved, pointed, black to blue-black. Apothecia rare, lateral but sometimes geniculate, margin thalloid and of same color as the thallus; disk flat to concave, orange-yellow to reddish brown or black, to 7 mm diameter; spores 2 (-4) per ascus, simple, ellipsoid with hyaline epispore, becoming dark brown when mature 28 - 46 / 14 - 28 µm. Pycnidia unknown (Brodo & Hawskworth 1977: 66; Thomson 1984: 36).
Algae: Trebouxioid green alga.
Chemistry: Cortex K-, C-, KC+ yellow, P-; medulla K-, C- or rarely C+ red, KC-, P-, usnic acid, diffractaic acid or alectoronic acid (KC- red strain). Acid deficiant strains are known. The diffractaic acid strain is the common one (Thomson 1984: 36). 6-Ethyl-6-n-pentyl-pentadecan-4,5,7,8,15-pentol-15-acetate (Solberg 1977, Huneck & Yoshimura 1996: 137). Sometimes with an unidentified K+ reddish substance in the base. Oleic acid (Huneck & Yoshimkura 1996: 151).
Ecology: On soil or humus especially in heath tundras, often in sheltered places between frost-riven boulders in fell fields, this species also occurs on the lower branches of spruce and willow (Thomson 1984: 36).
Molecular data: Genbank
Distribution: Database
Note: Missing at the type locality.
Distribution Database: Distributions
Distribution Database: Discover Life
Picture Database: Tropical Lichens
Molecular Database: Genbank
Synonym Database: Index Fungorum
Synonym Database: Mycobank
Race I: Usnic acid, diffractaic acid, KC-, CK+ yellow-orange, much more widespread than race II (Brodo & Hawskworth 1977: 66).
Race II: Usnic acid, alectoronic acid, KC+ red, CK-, the common race (Brodo & Hawskworth 1977: 66).
Race III: Usnic acid, KC-, CK-, extremely rare (Brodo & Hawskworth 1977: 66).
Race IV: Usnic acid, isousnic acid xxxx, samples from Japan (Kinoshita et al. 1997: xxx). Usnic acid, isousnic acid, diffractaic acid, TLC, samples from Alaska, first record of isousnic acid from a North American Alectoria (Spribille et al. 2010: 467).
"(Hoffm.) A. Massal." in Knezevic & Mayrhofer (2009: 285)
"Im Sommer 1860 bestieg ich während meines kurzen Aufenthaltes im unteren Pinzgau unter Anderem auch den sogenannten Haiderbergkopf, einen circa 6000' hohen Berg bei St. Leogang im Thonschiefergebirge. Hier traf ich auf dem Gipfel Alect. ochroleuca prachtvoll fructifizirend an, und zwar so häufig, dass ich in kurzer Zeit über 200 Exemplare mit Früchten sammeln konnte. Ich werde niemals die freudige Ueberraschung vergessen, die mich ergriff, als ich diese Flechte, welche so äusserst selten bisher in Europa mit Früchten gefunden worden ist, hier so häufig mit den schönsten Frucht-Schüsselchen geschmückt erblickte" (Krempelhuber 1861: 279)