Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2007. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 3.

Life habit: lichenized Thallus: crustose, areolate, margin thinning at edge, without elongated lobes; prothallus: present, gray surface: orange, smooth, without asexual propagules cortex: cellular, 10-30 µm thick, granules absent; medulla dense, without granules Apothecia: immersed, 0.1-0.3 mm in diam., lecanorine disc: red, flat, epruinose margin: persistent, flush; thalline margin present, concolorous with thallus; proper margin not visible parathecium: elongate to oval cells; exciple below hypothecium prosoplectenchymatous epihymenium: golden, K+ red, H-, 10%N-, cN-, C- hymenium: hyaline, 55-70 µm tall paraphyses: 2-3 tip cells slightly swollen, with few branches; subhymenium hyaline asci: cylindrical, 8-spored ascospores: hyaline, 2 locules, ellipsoid, 8.5-10 x c. 5.5 µm, isthmus 3-4 µm, spore end wall thin Pycnidia: not observed Spot tests: apothecial margin K+ red, H-, 10% N-, cN-, C-; thallus K+ red, H-, 10%N-, cN-, C- Secondary metabolites: unidentified anthraquinones. Substrate and ecology: on non-calcareous rocks World distribution: Europe and North America Sonoran distribution: Baja California and Sonora. Notes: See notes under C. cinnabarina.