Fruiting body a plasmodiocarp, scattered or (less commonly) clustered, simple or branched and often anastomosing, rarely exceeding 10 mm in length. Hypothallus membranous, thin, transparent but usually impregnated with lime scales, contiguous for a group of fruiting bodies. Peridium usually double but occasionally single, outer layer membranous to subcartilaginous, light brown to pink when the lime scales are sparse, usually covered with a thick layer of densely compacted lime scales, inner layer membranous, thin, transparent and iridescent to thick, opaque and dull, medium brown or dark brown, dehiscence irregular. Columella often absent but, when present, represented by a small raised ridge extending along main axis of the fruiting body. Capillitium abundant, coarse, consisting of pale yellow to yellow-brown threads, these branching and anastomosing to form an intricate network with conspicous expanded nodes, these filled with large masses of crystalline lime. Spores purple-brown in mass, violet brown by transmitted light, in mass, dark yellow-brown by transmitted light, minutely but densely spiny, 15–18 µm in diameter. Plasmodium unknown.

Known from a number of localities in Europe and western North America (Kowalski 1971, Novozhilov & Schnittler 1996). First reported from New Zealand by Stagg (1982), based on a specimen collected in Westland. Also known from Central Otago.

Plant debris or sometimes on living plants, usually near melting snowbanks in alpine regions.