Flora, Jena 68: 501 (1885).  

Thallus: rigid, up to 1.5 cm high, moderately branched. Branches pale yellow, 1 - 2 mm wide, with short slender side branches and spinules, terete, hollow, sparingly perforate, sterile branches attenuate. Surface smooth, opaque. Medullary layer dense, continuous. Soredia absent. Apothecia common, lateral on geniculate branches or apical on main branches and short lateral branches, often spurred, disc plane or convex, to 5 mm diameter. Spores longly fusiform, 20 - 25 - 28 /4 - 5 - 6 µm (Swinscow & Krog 1988: 277).

Chemistry: Divaricatic acid, norstictic acid in the medulla (Swinscow & Krog 1988: 279), usnic acid in the cortex. The cortex of young branches and the thalline exciple react K+ red, PD+ orange (Swinscow & Krog 1988: 279).

Ecology: Corticolous on trees and shrubs near the coast up to 400 m, rare but locally common (Swinscow & Krog 1988: 279).