Thallus erect sometimes becoming decumbent, prostrate and straggling, but then erect at the base, 5-10 cm tall, branching irregular to subdichotomous. Branches terete, becoming compressed basally, slightly faveolate, to 1.5 mm diam., surface matt, rarely shining, pink to pale brown towards base, dark brown to black towards apices, sometimes dark brown to black throughout, lateral spinules, soralia and apothecia unknown in New Zealand material. Pseudocyphellae sparse to abundant, conspicuous on median and thicker branches, elongate, fusiform, white, to 0.8 mm long, plane, concave or subconvex. Chemistry: Cortex and medulla: K+ faint yellow, KC+ (fading fast), C+ rose red (fading fast), Pd+ yellow. Alectorialic acid [ Hawksworth Lichenologist 5: 225 (1972) ].