Thompson, J., 1997. American Arctic Lichens: The Microlichens.
Thallus verrucose to coarsely granulose, pale yellow to pale greenish yellow; margin not lobate. Apothecia to 1.5 mm broad, broadly attached; margin very thin, soon excluded, lacking algae so appearing as a Lecidea; disk flat and irregular in outline, soon becoming convex to hemispherical, pale brown, light orange, yellowish pink, becoming black or gray-violet; hypothecium hyaline; epihymenium yellow to gray-green, the yellowish green pigment is HN03 purplish red, the surface with coarse granules soluble in KOH but not in HN03; hymenium 65-85 μm, hyaline; paraphyses 1.2-2 μm, free in KOH, not capitate; spores narrowly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, very variable, 10.5-18.5 x 4.4-6.5 μm.