Fruticose lichen

They grow slowly and often occur in habitats such as on tree barks, on rock surfaces and on soils in the Arctic and mountain regions.

[3] Many fruticose lichens have fine, round, hair-like structures and are loosely attached to rocks and trees.

They are encountered in the following classes: Arthoniales, Licinales, Baeomycetales, Candelariales, Lecanorales, Peltigerales, Pertusariales, Teloschistales, and Mycocaliciales, among others.

Fruticose growth forms can be found world-wide in wet humid climates, in temperate rainforests, or in arid conditions.

Lichen biomass accumulation rates decrease from mountain to alpine belts and from tree top to base.