[3] The family is classified as incertae sedis with respect to ordinal placement in the class Lecanoromycetidae, as there is no reliable molecular data available to establish phylogenetic relationships with similar taxa.

[9] In 2005, molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial rDNA sequences showed that the genus was not related to the Micareaceae family.

[11] The 2 species in the genus have a Holarctic distribution, as they are mainly found in northern temperate regions, especially in Europe,[12][13] including Switzerland,[14] Slovakia,[15] Italy, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Greenland,[16] and Australia.

[17] The genera are generally distinguished by a crustose thallus and chlorococcoid photobiont (relating to green algae of the genus Chlorococcum).

[10] The asci has an apical cushion surrounded by a tube-structure,[17] colourless and simple (ellipsoid or tear-shaped) to transversely septate asco-spores which are lacking perispore (outer covering of a spore).