[1] Formally circumscribed in 1824 by François Fulgis Chevallier,[2] Allographa was formerly included in Graphis, but was upgraded to generic status in 2018 by lichenologists Klaus Kalb and Robert Lücking, who used molecular phylogenetics analysis to show this group of species to constitute a distinct lineage in the Graphidaceae.

One of its defining features is the generally carbonised excipulum, which gives a dark appearance to the fruiting bodies, although some species formerly placed in Hemithecium with uncarbonised (blackened) excipula are also included in this genus.

A key distinguishing feature from Graphis in the strict sense is the strongly gelatinous hamathecium with thin paraphyses.

[3] While Allographa shares many morphological similarities with Graphis, making clear-cut distinctions challenging, molecular evidence supports its status as a separate genus.

Allographa is part of a larger clade within Graphidaceae that includes other lirellate genera such as Diorygma, Glyphis, Pallidogramme, Phaeographis, Platygramme, Platythecium, Sarcographa, Thalloloma, and Thecaria.