While particularly common in southeastern North America, including coastal and mountainous regions, it is widely distributed in subtropical and temperate areas worldwide.

More recent studies incorporating biogeography, chemistry, morphology, and molecular phylogenetics have led to the treatment of these two taxa as conspecific, meaning they are now considered the same species.

[5] Molecular phylogenetics analyses of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence data do not differentiate Parmotrema madagascariaceum and P. xanthinum as separate entities.

Lobes are irregularly branched and overlapping, with a yellow-green upper surface that may have white laminal maculae (spotting) and reticulate cracks.

While Lendemer's 2016 study highlighted its presence in the subtropical and temperate regions of southeastern North America, including the Coastal plain, Piedmont, southern Appalachian Mountains, and Ozark Highlands, this species is also found in other parts of the world.