It grows up to a meter long, hanging from bark and twigs in a distinctive net-like or lace-like pattern that is unlike any other lichen in North America.

[7] Ramalina menziesii is a fruticose epiphytic lichen found on coastal regions of North America that produce a large and conspicuous thallus.

[3] Ramalina menziesii is found from the Baja California of Mexico to the temperate rainforests of Alaska, with six distinct ecoregions.

As you move towards the Pacific Northwest, lace lichen is found in temperate mixed coniferous forests of Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and some broad-leafed species.

[7] In the deciduous blue oak (Quercus douglasii) woodlands of central coastal California, Ramalina menziesii has an important role in the annual turnover of biomass.

The standing biomass of this and other epiphytic lichens was determined to be 515 grams per tree, equivalent to 706 kilograms per hectare; of this, 94% is R. menziesii.

Despite this area being much drier than those in other similar studies, R. menziesii was shown to contribute as much to biomass and nutrient turnover as other epiphytic lichens from wetter locales.

[10] A study on Ramalina menziesii across its range from Baja California del Norte to the Queen Charlotte Islands revealed patterns of morphological variation influenced by environmental factors.

Additionally, the study found significant relationships between morphological variations and environmental factors such as NaCl concentration and annual temperature variation, although the distribution of different forms of R. menziesii and patterns of annual precipitation showed some alignment, the presence and form of R. menziesii did not correlate with the distribution of eight tree species that serve as its substrate.

Although fog-borne MMHg only accounts for a small percentage of atmospheric deposition, it may have a disproportionate impact leading to toxicological effects on Puma concolor in coastal California.