A genus of hair-like lichens, also known as horsehair lichen, that grows hanging from trees and rocks in northern forests.
From Greek 'alektryon' (rooster), because of the supposed resemblance of the lichen strands to rooster feathers or their fancied connection to roosters in folklore.
Alectoria lichens were prized in traditional Nordic and Sami cultures as emergency food during famines—a hanging plant that looks like rooster feathers could literally save your life, which is why the name stuck in natural history.
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