Thallus brownish orange or pale orange-yellow, often with gray patches, continuous, finely cracked, sometimes slightly chinky, margin distinct; prothallus black; medulla I —; soralia always present, rounded to irregular, flat to slightly efflorescent, 0.3-2.0 mm broad; soredia white to flecked gray or rarely black. Apothecia not present in American material; Schwab (1986) described apothecia in a specimen of uncertain relationship from Sweden.

Reactions: soralia K+ yellow, C—, P+ orange; medulla K+ yellow, C—, P—, I—.

Contents: stictic acid, constictic acid, norstictic acid plus traces of menegazziaic acid and an unknown (Gowan 1989).

This species grows on acid rocks on trickle surfaces. It is known from the Alps and Scandinavia in Europe, and in North America from the Arctic, to alpine in Colorado.