beard moss vs black moss

beard moss

noun
  • Any of several lichens, of the genus Usnea, that generally grow hanging from tree branches, resembling grey or greenish hair. 

black moss

noun
  • Bryoria fremontii (wila), a lichen eaten by First Peoples in North America. 

  • Any of numerous species of dark-coloured mosses (Bryophyta), possibly species of the genera Grimmia, Andreaea, Syntrichia, Cinclidotus. 

  • Nostoc flagelliforme (fat choy), a terrestrial cyanobacterium eaten in Chinese cuisine. 

  • Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish moss), a flowering plant, particularly after it has been dried for use as stuffing and decoration. 

How often have the words beard moss and black moss occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )