Thallus foliose, loosely attached to 8 cm diam. Lobes variable, rather narrow (1-5 mm wide), weakly subdichotomously branching, branches discrete not imbricate, margins entire, sinuous, shining, black, slightly thickened, apices rounded or shallowly notched. Upper surface yellowish-green, shining, smooth at margins, wrinkled centrally, strongly isidiate, maculae and soredia absent. Isidia laminal not marginal, often dense and forming a ± areolate crust, delicate, rather friable, fine-granular at first, becoming coralloid-branched. Lower surface pale tan centrally, slightly darker brown at margins, shining, wrinkled- papillate. Rhizines rather short, sparse, simple, pale tan. Apothecia sessile, 2-8 mm diam., disc pale yellow to red-brown, shining, imperforate, margins entire, rather thin, often disappearing in mature fruits, thalline exciple smooth, shining, very occasionally sparsely isidiate. Chemistry: Cortex K-; medulla K+ yellow → red, C-, KC+ red, Pd+ orange. Salazinic and usnic acids.