It was formally described in 2012 and is characterized by its upright, cushion-like growth, rigid branching pattern, and black, spine-covered stems.

The type specimen was collected in China's Yunnan Province, within the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, on Cang Mountain.

The main stems are black, reaching up to 0.8 mm in width, and give rise to rigid, evenly branched offshoots.

Unlike some related species, B. rigida does not produce soralia or isidia, meaning it lacks specialized structures for asexual reproduction.

[2] Bryoria rigida has been recorded from Yunnan, China,[2] and both Darjeeling and Sikkim in India,[4] though it is likely more widespread across the Himalayan region.

The type locality is a mixed montane forest composed of Rhododendron species, Abies delavayi, and Fargesia nitida, where annual precipitation is about 1,874 mm (73.8 in) and the average temperature ranges from 7 to 8 °C (45 to 46 °F).