Thallus thin or lacking, verruculose, whitish or greenish. Apothecia small, 0.3-1.2 mm, base constricted; margin thin, persistent; exciple radiating, the edge purplish; disk flat or depressed-convex, black, shining; hypothecium pale or yellowish; epithecium bluish, more so in K; hymenium 40-55 µm, 1+ blue turning wine-red; paraphyses not branched, capitate; spores bacillar, short, straight, 3-septate, 12-23 x 1.5-3.5 µm. Conidia filiform, 11-13 X 0.6 µm (Vainio 1922).

This species grows on the bark of Betula, Alnus, Populus, and Abies. It appears to be circumpolar arctic, known from Siberia, northern Europe, and rarely in North America, where it was reported from Hershel Island, Yukon Territory, by Lynge (1921) on plant remains. Harris (1977) reported it from Delta and Menominee counties, Michigan, and a specimen from Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, Jesberger 1150, det. by B. J. Coppins, is in WIS.