The lichen was first formally described as a new species in 1997 by Swedish/Norwegian lichenologist Louise Lindblom, as a member of genus Xanthoria.

The type specimen was collected by William Weber in Montrose County, Colorado near the Cerro Summit, at an altitude of 7,600 ft (2,300 m).

The lobes comprising the thallus are between 0.2 and 0.5 mm wide, and more or less smooth, flat, and horizontal, with frequently branches and rounded tips.

Apothecia are frequent in this species; they have a maximum diameter of 3.5 mm are flat to slightly concave.

Ascospores produced by the lichen are clylindrical to narrowly ellipsoid in shape, have a single septum, and typically measure 13.0–15.6 long by 5.1–7.4 μm wide.