Thallus squamulose, dark reddish, squamules often very dispersed, convex, opaque, tightly adnate, margin thin, dark below, KOH-, CaCl-. Apothecia a few in each areole, then subdilated, disc concave, surrounded by distinct, prominent thalline margin. Upper cortex pellucid, cells minute, indistinct. Hymenium somewhat thick. Spores ellipsoid.
Squamules 0.6-1(1.5) mm large, 0.2-0.3(0.4) mm thick, rarely a few approaching or grouped, mostly widely dispersed and very convex.—Upper cortex (12) 15-20 (25) µ thick, transparent, regular, CaCl-, upper 6-8 µ dark red-brown, amorphous stratum +/- regularly developed (0)6-10(2) µ thick. Cortical cells very indistinct in water, also in HCl rather indistinct, 1-2 µ large, thick-walled, hyphae intricate, indistinct also in KOH. Gonidia 7-12 µ large, stratum 50-80 µ thick, regular, limits rather distinct. Medulla poorly developed or 200-300 µ thick, +/- air-filled, hyphae 3-4 µ thick, +/- intricate, thick-walled. Areolae fastened with most part of the medulla; only 100-200 µ of the exterior margin of the underside dark (Fig. 3).
Apothecia (1) 2-5 in the squamules, frequently covering most of the surface, disc 0.2-0.5 mm broad, at first deeply impressed and reddish, finally +/- dilated, concave and concolorous with the thallus, with distinct, prominent margin.—Exciple at least in older apothecia distinct at the bottom, 10-17 µ thick, in KOH slightly yellowish, in water refracting, widened at the surface, I-. Hypothecium narrow, 15-25(35) µ, I+ blue. Hymenium (70) 85-199 (110) µ high, I+ greenish blue or +/- brownish yellow, upper 5-15 µ +/- brown. Paraphyses 1.5-2 µ thick, also in KOH, apices coherent, swollen, dark brown, 3-4 µ. Asci 65-80 X 17 µ large. Spores about 200, 3-4.5 X 1.7 µ, oblong.
Habitat. On non-calciferous stone with different Lecidea species etc.
Distribtuion. East Greenland. Wollaston Forland: Kapp Herschell (forma). Hudson Land: Kapp Bennet, two specimens (auth. spec.). Ymer Island: Dusénfjorden, inwards of Kapp Graah (three spec.); Sofiasund, below Celsiusfjellet, 1929, Lynge.
West Greenland. Nugssuaq Peninsula north of Disko: Atanikerdluk, 1871, Th. Fries (forma). Disko: Mellemfjorden, 1871, Th. Fries (forma).
Spitsbergen. Van Mijenfjorden: Braganzafjorden at Sveagruva, 1926, Lynge; Bellsund: Forsbladhamna, 1926, Lynge.
The new specie resembles outwardly A. veronensis, but cannot be united with this species on acc. of the different structure of the cortex and medulla. The cells are in veronensis very distinct, 3-5 µ large, thin-walled. Its appearance is slightly different too. There seems to be some variability in the height of hymenium (up to 125 µ), and in the thickness of the upper cortex (in one specimen 35-45 µ). The last mentioned specimen (Atanikerdluk) has a paler and redder colour and may be something else, but the inner structure agrees rather well.
Most specimens consist of only a few squamules or groups of squamules upon the naked stone, partly associated with scattered different other lichens.