Thompson, J., 1997. American Arctic Lichens: The Microlichens.
Thallus very thin, evanescent, whitish-gray to rose, smooth or very slightly chinky, to 0.2 mm thick. Apothecia immersed, 0.3-0.5 mm, black or bluish black, flat or concave, with a dark wall-like proper margin rising above the thallus surface and often bluish; proper exciple to 100 μm thick at margin, thinning downward, dark bluish green; hymenium 85-100 μcm, upper part blue to blue-green, rest hyaline; paraphyses 1.7-2.0 μm, branched, septate, more distinct in KOH; asci clavate, 50-60 x 10 μm; spores 8, ellipsoid, 10-14 x 5-8.5 μm.
Reactions: blue parts of exciple and hymenium turning violet in HN03; lower hymenium 1+ dark bluish green or brownish. KOH —.
This species grows on rocks or stones that contain little lime and are wet at intervals, along brooks and seepages. Although reported by Magnusson (1933) as circumpolar arctic and alpine it has not yet been found on the American continent but was reported from northeastern Greenland (Blomsterbukta) by Lynge (1940).