Primary squamules persistent, small, to 3 mm long, crenate to lobed, upper surface glaucescent to olive-glaucescent or grey-green, lower surface white, darker at base, without soredia, or sorediate at margins and on lower side. Podetia growing from upper side of primary squamules, 10-20(-50) mm tall, ± terete, broadening slightly towards blunt tip, apices club-shaped, rarely pointed, without cups. Cortex ± continuously farinose-sorediate, greenish to grey, corticate at base, white after dispersal of soredia. Apothecia red, small, to 2 mm diam., embedded in tips of podetia. Chemistry: Cortex K-, KC- or yellowish, Pd-. Barbatic, 4-O-demethyl-barbatic, ± didymic, ± usnic acids.

Primary squamules persistent, small to medium, to 4 × 3 mm, ± erect, lobate or crenate-lobate, flat or involute, upper surface glaucescent to whitish or olivaceous-glaucescent, lower surface white, darker at base, rarely yellow-brown, granular-sorediate at margins and on lower surface, or esorediate. Podetia very variable in size and shape, growing from upper surface of primary squamules, short or elongate, 5-50 mm tall, to 3 mm diam., without cups or rarely with cups, cups very variable, margins often divided into elongate proliferations which may also be scyphiferous, simple or sparingly branched, tips blunt or pointed, often sterile. Cortex areolate or verruculose, greyish-green, with pale greenish or whitish granular to farinose soredia over whole podetium or in ± central patches. Apothecia on tips of podetia, sessile, red, to 2 mm diam. Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow, KC+ orange-yellow, Pd+ yellow-red. Thamnolic, decarboxythamnolic, ± barbatic, ± 4-O-demethylbarbatic, ± didymic acids.