It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 work Species Plantarum as Lichen venosus.

[3] German botanist Georg Franz Hoffmann transferred it to the genus Peltigera in 1789.

[4] P. venosa can be found in temperate and boreal regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, while occasionally being found in drier climates such as mountainous Arizona.

[5] The thallus color depends on its level of hydration: when wet, it is deep green, while when dry it is dark grey-green.

The lobes that comprise the thallus are rounded to fan-shaped, and measure 10–15mm wide.