Thompson, J., 1997. American Arctic Lichens: The Microlichens.
Thallus chinky-areolate, thick, to 0.7mm thick, continguous and well-defined, chalky white, dull, farinose or not; hypothallus lacking or of a thin white layer. Apothecia black, at first flat, soon convex and almost spherical, in compound heaps, botryose; margin black, pruinose or not, sometimes surrounded by a false thalloid margin; exciple pale above and at sides, lower part under apothecium red-brown; disk pruinose, dull; hypothecium yellowish or pale brownish; epithecium pale olive-green; hymenium 90-100 µm, hyaline; paraphyses 2.5-3.0 µm thick, intricate, not inspersed, not capitate; spores 8, submuriform, 3-septate transversely, center cells 1-septate longitudinally, very soon brown, halonate, 12-14 X 5.5-7.5 µm.
Reactions: medulla K—, C—, P—, I—; hypothecium K— but lower part of exciple K+ purple-brown; epithecium K—; hymenium 1+ blue.
This species grows on shaded calcareous rocks. It is known only from the type material collected on the Pitmegea River, north slope of Alaska.