Thallus small, encrusting, 1-3(-5) cm diam., corticolous. Primary thallus persistent, very minutely squamulose or scurfy, granular-sorediate, often forming an areolate-crust, whitish-grey to pale yellowish-brown. Pseudopodetia small, 2-5(-8) mm tall, simple, terete at base, dissected into short branchlets above, apices subulate, 0.5-1.5 mm diam., expanded in upper parts to 2.5 mm, surface smooth, matt, rather glabrous, yellowish-brown to reddish-brown, vertically furrowed or fissured, perforate, perforations few, small, to 0.2 mm wide, often elongate, central canal pale, medulla thin, coarsely granular in parts. Apothecia numerous, terminal, clustered, minute, peltate, black with a distinct margin, disc concave when young becoming plane or convex with age. Chemistry: K-, C-, KC-, Pd+ red. Fumarprotocetraric acid.