Thallus rather straggling, tufted, to 9 cm tall. Branches 1-2 mm wide at base, becoming thinner and more densely branching, entangled towards apices. Surface yellow to yellow-green at base, continuous, smooth, waxy or shining, often wrinkled or faveolate in large specimens, bluish-black with black cracks towards apices. Soredia common, especially towards tips of branches, in concave-eroded soralia which may become convex and often confluent, soredia grandular, yellow to blackened. Apothecia very rare, disc black, ray-like branchlets absent, thalline exciple smooth. Chemistry: Norstictic, protocetraric (tr.). Salazinic and usnic acids.