Hypothallus endosubstratal, IKI−. Thallus of dispersed flat to convex areoles, 0.2–0.5(–1.0) mm wide, 0.3–0.4 mm high. Upper surface brown, epruinose, smooth, lacking fissures. Epicortex ca. 50 μm thick. Cortex mostly 30 μm thick, upper layer dark, lower layer hyaline, cortical cells mostly globose, 2–5 μm wide. Algal layer dense, even, uninterrupted, continuous below apothecia, 30–100 μm thick, algal cells mostly 13–15 μm wide. Medulla obscured with crystals, 100–150 μm thick, of vertical hyphae, thin-walled, 2.0–3.0 μm wide. Apothecia usually 1 per areole, beginning immersed, brown and concave (best seen when wetted), expanding to reduce an areole to a thalline margin, then the apothecia become erumpent, the areole forming the base of the elevated lecideine apothecia, which expand until the areole is not visible from above. Apothecia to 1.2 mm wide with thin black margin, the disc black, epruinose, finely rugulose, reddish brown when wetted. Parathecium indistinct in early development, eventually expanding around disc 20–60 μm, hyphae 1 μm wide, outer layer dark usually 10–50 μm wide, inner layer hyaline and narrow. Hymenium 70–90(–120) μm high, epihymenium reddish brown, 10 μm high, paraphyses 2 μm wide, apices expanded to 3 μm with dark pigment mark, hymenial gel IKI+ dark blue, euamyloid. Asci mostly 60 × 20 μm, ascospores globose 2–3 × 2–3 μm to short and broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, 4 × 2 μm with 2 oil drops, variable. Subhymenium 35–40 μm high, IKI+ dark blue. Hypothecium narrow to indistinct. Pycnidia not observed.
Secondary metabolites: none detected with TLC.
Ecology and substrate: HCl- and calciferous sandstone in full sun. World distribution: Tularosa Basin, Carrizozo Malpais, Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico.
Notes: Development of elevated black lecideine apothecia is the distinguishing character of this species.