Thallus large, coarse, to 9 cm tall, sparingly branched, holdfast well-developed. Pseudopodetia stout 1-3(-5) mm wide, terete, covered with a ± continuous, coarsely scabrid, verrucose-areolate cortex, apices of pseudopodetia often eroded-sorediate. Phyllocladia rather sparse, variable, often most distinct at the apices of small, clustered secondary branchlets, terete, finger-like at first, becoming coralloid-branched. Cephalodia conspicuous, stalked, large, to 3 mm diam., wrinkled, scrobiculate, surface minutely areolate, distinctly grey-blue. Soredia white or greyish, granular, rather sparse, developed on the ends of pseudopodetia, possibly the result of insect damage. Apothecia rare, terminal 1-3 mm wide, disc black, plane at first and thinly marginate, convex and immarginate at maturity. Ascospores 2-5 per ascus, clavate-fusiform, 1-3-septate, 25-35 × 5-7 µm. Chemistry: Atranorin, fumarprotocetraric and protocetraric acids; perlatolic and anziaic acids in apothecia only.