Primary thallus not seen, plants rather loosely clustered, muscicolous or terricolous. Pseudopodetia dying at base, 3.5-6.5 cm tall, stout, inflated, very fragile when dry, to 5 mm diam., corticate, smooth, matt, dull not shining, dark brownish-black below, pale stramineous or brown above, pale greenish-brown below, pale stramineous or brown above in shaded habitats, becoming entirely reddish-brown or blackened in exposed sites, branching mainly dichotomous, axils closed, rarely perforate or fissured, apices acute, 2-spinose. Medulla thin, white, tomentose, not filling the hollow interior of the branch. Apothecia not seen. Chemistry: Cortex K-, KC+ faint yellow, Pd+ red. Fumarprotocetraric acid.