Thompson, J., 1997. American Arctic Lichens: The Microlichens.
Thallus areolate, the areolae to 1 mm broad, solitary or grouped, to 0.2 mm thick, blackish brown to reddish black, scarcely lighter when wet; medullary hyphae gelatinous. Apothecia commonly several per areola, to 1 mm broad; disk black, flat; hypothecium pale; epihymenium hyaline to pale brownish; hymenium 70-100 μm, mostly filled with gelatin, 1+ blue turning red; paraphyses scarce, slender, branched, tips only slightly thicker; spores numerous, simple, hyaline, elliptical, 4-5 x 2 μm.
This species grows on moist rocks. It is known from the Julianehaab District, southern Greenland, and was possibly recently collected in the Tikchik Lakes area, southwestern Alaska: J. Hoare 602, WIS. The latter specimen, however, has spores 10 X 5 μm, 16—30 per ascus, and may represent a related species such as Pyrenopsis laatokkaensis Vainio, which is reported to have 12-16 spores per ascus and spores 7-9 X 4.5-5 μm.