[Translated and modified from Motyka (1936-1938)] Thallus pendant, ~ 20 cm long, firm to rigid, pale throughout, sparsely, dichotomously branched, with almost straight axils. Branches open, but soon converging, ~ 1.3-1.5 mm thick throughout most of the length, tapering gradually to the tips. Surface smooth, continuous, rarely cracked. Vegetative diaspores soredia in soralia: soredia, apparently mealy, whitish, often found on the subapical and upper parts of the branches. Soralia punctiform, becoming enlarged, from crumbling low tubercles. Thallus stratified: cortex ~200 μm thick, very hard, chondroid, almost glassy; photobiont chlorococcoid alga; mellula ~320 μm thick, intensely violet; axis ~450 μm thick. Ascomata not known.
Chemistry. Not reported.
Substrate and habitat. Corticolous on trees.
Distribution. North America; in North Carolina found in the Blue Ridge ecoregion.
Literature
Motyka, J. (1936-1938) Lichenum generis Usnea studium monographicum, pars systematica 1-2: 1-651 (original description).