Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2002. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 1.
Life habit: lichenized Thallus: subfruticose to subfoliose, fragile, smooth, pruinose, 5-15 cm in diam., up to 2 cm thick lobe surface: creamy-white to ivory white, with or without soredia cortex: predominantly of interwoven, in parts somewhat anticlinally arranged, branched hyphae medulla: white above, byssoid to chalky with brown plectenchyma in basal parts photobiont: primary one a Trentepohlia, secondary photobiont absent prothallus: not seen Ascomata: in synascomata but sometimes solitary, sessile or immersed, lirelliform with branched lirellae, 4-5 x 0.1-0.2 mm; disc: hidden, epruinose; thalline exciple: thin and slightly elevated, with algae and cortex; proper exciple: parathecial; epithecium: 20-25 µm thick with paraphysoids reticulate and richly branched in a brown gel, 1-2 µm diam.; hymenium: 60 µm thick; paraphysoids: reticulate and richly branched, conglutinated, hyaline, 1 µm diam.; hypothecium: distinct, dark-brown (carbonaceous), extending down and gradually disappearing into the medulla asci: clavate, c. 75 x 13 µm, 8-spored ascospores: bluntly fusiform to ellipsoid, straight, smooth, 3-4 septate, hyaline, 15-18 x 4-5 µm Conidiomata: pycnidial, numerous, solitary, lateral, immersed or slightly elevated, pale brown, when elevated 0.6 mm, when immersed 0.2 mm diam. conidia: filiform, curved, hyaline, 12-14 x <1 µm Secondary metabolites: orcinol depsides; three other minor substances are probably hydrolysis or methanolysis products Geography: coastal regions with Mediterranean climates in SW North America Substrate: on acidic rocks.
Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2002. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 1.
Notes: Because the genus is monotypic, a generic description would simply recapitulate the specific description given below.