Primary squamules evanescent. Podetia dying at base, proliferating from apices, 20-60 mm tall and 0.5-1.5 mm diam., irregularly branched, branching monopodial or subdichotomous-radiating, with or without cups, cups shallow 1.2-6.0 mm diam., abruptly flaring, usually oblique and irregular, margins denticulate, sterile podetia tapering or blunt. Cortex ± coarsely granular, not sorediate, in parts areolate or becoming decorticate and opaque, with numerous tiny squamules, whitish-glaucescent or olivaceous-brownish. Apothecia small, at apices of podetia, 1-5 per podetium, pedicellate, brown. Chemistry: Cortex K-, KC-, Pd+ red. Fumarprotocetraric and protocetraric acids.