[5] Baeomyces heteromorphus is a species of lichen with a diverse and intricate structure, primarily found forming wide, expansive patches that can exceed 50 cm in width.

The thallus is relatively thick, reaching up to approximately 700 μm, and spreads without a defined boundary, as it lacks a prothallus (the initial growth phase of lichens).

They can be round, slightly raised (subsessile), or more frequently, distinctly stalked, appearing either singly or in clustered formations that resemble branches or racemes.

The colour of the apothecial disc varies from pale greyish pink to reddish brown, with its shape changing from persistently concave to flat, or even wavy to convex as it ages.

Testing reveals distinct reactions: the thallus turns yellow-red when treated with a solution of potassium hydroxide (K+), no change with calcium hypochlorite (KC–) and bleach (C–), orange with para-phenylenediamine (P+), and no fluorescence under ultraviolet light (UV–).

[6] The frequently co-occurring yet distinct species, Dibaeis arcuata, can be readily differentiated from Baeomyces heteromorphus by its lighter, greyish white thallus that produces soredia and contains baeomycesic and squamatic acids.

This species plays a role in ecological succession, often being among the first to colonise and stabilise newly exposed earth, such as areas disturbed by road construction, along pathways, or around the root mounds of upturned stumps.