[1] The genus was circumscribed in 2013 by Ulf Arup, Patrik Frödén and Ulrik Søchting, with Flavoplaca citrina as the type species.

There are other genera with roughly similar morphological features as Flavoplaca (examples include Polycauliona, Orientophila, Sirenophila, and Villophora), but they are genetically different and have different distributions.

Some species, such as F. ruderum, display a distinctive uneven thallus composed of strongly convex to verruculose or almost globose (spherical) areoles that can sometimes appear almost squamulose.

The presence of pruina (a powdery or waxy surface coating) varies among populations and species; for example, Swedish specimens of F. ruderum show less pruinosity than their British counterparts.

For example, F. ruderum typically grows on soft calcareous walls and mortar, particularly in well-lit locations, while related species like F. communis and F. maritima are largely confined to seashore rocks or coastal areas with high salinity exposure.