Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2007. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 3.

Habit: lichenized Thallus: sqaumulose to verruculose rosette-forming squamules: crenate, becoming imbricate, overall 0.3-1.2 mm long and up to 0.3 mm wide surface: yellow to greenish yellow, dull upper cortex: a pseudo-cortex 10-35 µm thick, composed of non-gelatinous hyphae with ±isodimetric cells 4-11 µm thick lower cortex: similar to the upper "cortex" Apothecia: sparse, lecanorine, 0.45-1.1(-1.5) mm wide disc: darker yellow than the thallus, soon becoming convex; margin: crenate, with a pseudocortex similar to the squamules exciple: indistinct to well developed and then fan-shaped with ±rectangular cells and up to 140 µm thick epihymenium: reddish yellow to yellow-brown hymenium: 1.5-2.5 µm wide medially, not widening apically asci: clavate, 45-50 x 17-18 µm, 8-spored ascospores: hyaline, simple to rarely 1-septate, narrowly ellipsoid, straight to somewhat curved, (15-)16.5-21.5(-22) x 4.5-5.5(-6) µm Pycnidia: sparse, appearing as orange-yellow dots on the thallus conidia: ellipsoid to oblong, 3-4 x 1.5-2 µm Spot tests: K+ pale red or K-, KC-, C- Secondary metabolites: calycin, pulvinic acid lactone, and vulpinic and pulvinic acids. Substrate and ecology: on granite boulders in open, coniferous forests from 2000 to 2700 m World distribution: currently only known in California, especially in the Sierra Nevada Mountains Sonoran distribution: San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. Notes: Candelariella californica forms small, lobate, cushion-like rosettes with strongly convex apothecia and has narrowly ellipsoid spores. In these characteristics it is similar to C. citrina, but it has a more continuous thallus than that species and longer spores..