Methuselahs beard in Detail.

| Methuselah's beard it a species of tree beard lichen which grows in coastal forest with high humidity. It is pale green, long (up to 8ft) and stringy. It has a fibrous and hair-like appearance with a grayish-green color. The main body of the lichen is made up of thin filaments known as hyphae, which are intertwined with algal cells.

Like many lichens, Methuselah's beard is an indicator species for air pollution and is used by scientists to monitor the health of forest ecosystems. It's sensitive to sulfur dioxide and acid rain. When dry it will also make for excellent fire started.

It also contains several compounds that have been shown to have antibacterial and antifungal properties, making it useful in the treatment of infections. These include usnic acid, diffractaic acid, stictic acid, constictic acid, norstictic acid, and protocetraric acid. Usnic acid is the most well-known and studied compound in Usnea species, and has been shown to have activity against a range of bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Other compounds found in Usnea longissima have also shown activity against various bacteria, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Methuselah's beard can be found in the south-central and south-east Alaskan forest. Often found in conifers but also able to grow on hardwoods.