Thallus erect, to 6 cm tall, conspicuously blackened at base, saxicolous. Branches stiff, tapering towards apices, terete, stout at base, 0.8-1.4 mm diam., attached by a thick (1.4-2.2 mm wide) blackened holdfast, looselysubdichotomously branching, not or slightly narrowed at joints, rarely articulate-cracked, lateral fibrils or spinules very few or absent, papillae absent, soredia absent, pseudocyphellae punctiform, white or pale, numerous, becoming maculate- eroded and ± effigurate and somewhat blackened (×10 lens). Cortex glossy to roughened, glaucous green to olivaceous with red pigment deposited in patches or bands in cortex. Apothecia not seen. Chemistry: Protocetraric and usnic acids.