Galapagos Species Database

Thallus dull, shrubby, up to 3 cm diam., upright, greenish grey, somewhat fragile, very variable in branching pattern, for example, with few, short, stout and broadly flattened, antler-like branches that have curled tips, or with densely ramified, irregularly angular branches that apically become terete, occasionally with curled tips (hooks), up to c. 3mm diam., but usually much thinner; surface wrinkled, irregularly striate from cartilaginous cortical strands; soredia rather discrete but occasionally confluent, capitate or irregular, but mostly terminal, yellowish, up to c. 1 mm diam. Apothecia and pycnidia unknown. Chemistry. Medulla K+ orange-yellow, soon red, rarely K-, UV+ white or UV-(salazinic, sekikaic, divaricatic acid or secondary metabolites absent); cortex with usnic acid.

The species is unusually variable with two morphological extremes that nevertheless intergrade.