[as 'dasypoga'], Meddn Soc. Fauna Flora Fenn. 1: 14 (1876).

Basionym: Usnea plicata var. dasopoga Ach., Methodus, Sectio post. (Stockholmiæ): 312 (1803).

Type: [Switzerland] Helvetia, Schleicher (H-ACH 1873 lectotype, Clerc, Nordic Lichen Flora 4: 141, 2011).

Thallus: fruticose, erect, subpendent to pendent, to 50 cm; ramification mainly sympodial, with divergent branches. Basal part black with few to numerous annulations. Main branches, one to several, distinct over at least half the length of the thallus, with distinct annulations, often with everted medulla and longitudinal cracks in the cortex, irregular to ? tapering, but with the thickest part close to the base; secondary branches not narrowed at their point of attachment to the main stems, distinctly irregular; segments cylindrical to weakly sausage-like, terete, foveoles or transverse furrows absent or few. Papillae few to numerous, small and almost inapparent to distinct and verrucose; tuberucles absent; fibercules few to numerous; fibrils 2-3 mm long, irregularly distributed or covering the entire length of the secondary branches in a fishbone-like arrangement. Soralia punctiform or enlarging, as large or larger than half branch diameter, usually of irregular outline, flat to distinctly stipitate or ? capitate, arising on the top of fibercules left when fibrils are shed or on the cortex ad initio; isidiomorphs few to numerous, sometimes developing into isidiofibrils. Cortex thick (9-13%), mat in longitudinal section; medulla moderately thin (13-22%), dense to compact, white; axis thick (36-51%); A/M = 1.5- 4. Apothecia rare, mostly lateral. Pycnidia unknown.

Chemistry: Dasypogalactone-methanol-water (1/2/1) Flörke et al. (2003). Medulla C-, K+ yellow turning blood red, KC-, PD+ yellow turning orangish-red (salazinic, ? protocetraric acids) or C+ reddish, KC+ reddish, K-, PD- (alectorialic acid).

Ecology: Corticolous, common both on coniferous and deciduous trees or saxicolous on siliceous rocks in coastal areas.

Molecular data:

Distribution: Seems to occur all over Europe including Fennoscandia, where it is the most frequent of the pendent Usnea-species. Most common in mountain and inland regions compared with coastal and lowland areas. Has a wide temperate and boreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. The world distribution is poorly known because of confusion with other species.