Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2002. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 1.

Primary thallus: squamulose, persistent; squamules: 0.2-0.3 mm wide, up to 3 mm long, entire to crenate-lobate, yellowish above, sorediate podetia: up to 20 (-25) mm tall, usually shorter, conspicuously yellow-green, unbranched, without cups or with age forming very narrow cups, occasionally with proliferations arising from cup margins surface: sorediate; soredia: farinose, at base only slightly corticate Apothecia: infrequent, 0.5-1 mm wide, pale brown ascospores: fusiform, 9-12 x 2.5-4 micro meter Pycnidia: on primary squamules or at tips of podetia, ovoid to cylindrical, containing hyaline gelatin conidia: 5-6 x 0.5 micro meter Spot tests: K-, C-, KC+ yellow P-, UV- Secondary metabolites: usnic and barbatic acid. Habitat and ecology: on rotting pine wood in open woodlands, mainly in boreal habitats World distribution: Asia, Europe, North America and southern South America Sonoran distribution: Arizona. Notes: This is species is similar to C. coniocraea and C. macilenta in structure but has a bright yellow green color (usnic acid is abundant) and the soredia are plentiful down to the base of podetia.