Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2004. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 2.

Thallus: fruticose, caespitose, up to 3 cm long branching: sparingly branched from a narrow holdfast branches: flat, +dorsiventral or subcylindrical, irregular in thickness in cross section, tips often ending in soralia, up to 1.5 mm wide surface: greenish yellow, shiny, smooth, sorediate soredia: granular, subcorticate, usually with isidioid branchlets, in subterminal or marginal soralia that are 0.4-0.5 mm in diam. pseudocyphellae: occasional, ellipsoid, laminal, +depressed, often forming soredia cortex: thin; chondroid strands: continuous, cracked Apothecia: not observed for Sonoran specimens Pycnidia: not observed Spot tests: cortex K-, C-, KC+ yellow, P-; medulla K-, C-, KC-, P- Secondary metabolites: cortex with usnic acid (major); medulla with homosekikaic acid (major), sekikaic acid (major) 4'-O-methylnorhomosekikaic acid (minor). Substrate and ecology: on rock World distribution: widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere Sonoran distribution: southern California, Arizona, and Chihuahua, rare. Notes: Ramalina intermedia might be confused with R. pollinara, as they have similar branches with soredia and occur on rocks. However, R. intermedia can be easily distinguished from the latter species by its laciniae that develop from a narrow holdfast and by having homosekikaic and sekikaic acid as major chemical substances. The distribution of this species in North America was discussed by Bowler and Rundel (1974).