Nephromopsis nivalis (L.) Divakar, A. Crespo & Lumbsch = Cetraria nivalis (L.) Ach.

     Thallus in a small bush (but can form carpets by meeting of folds of thalli) formed of erect lobes very branched and cut 2-4 cm in height and 6-10 mm in width, strongly reticulate and foveolate with whitish marginal pseudocyphellae, the general coloration is whitish, cream, sometimes a little yellowish on the fresh but more yellowish in the old age or in herbarium, the base of the lobes is yellowish-brown. Apothecia extremely rare, zeorines, 5-8 mm in diameter. Ascospores hyaline, subglobose, 5-10 x 3-6 µm. Pycnidia mainly marginal sometimes numerous, small and globose, subsessile, blackish. Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Cortex: K-, C-, KC+ yellowish, P-. ; Medulla: K-, C-, KC-, P-. Arctic and alpine species occurring on the ground in short grasslands (tundra).

N.B. Nephromopsis (Cetraria) cucullata is very similar, but its lobes have a more or less smooth surface and are canaliculate with a hood-like apex and a purplish-brown base.