[1] Found in South America and Southern Africa, it was formally described as a new species in 2009 by lichenologists Martin Westberg and Patrik Frödén.

The type specimen was collected by the second author from the Santiago Metropolitan Region (Chile) at an altitude of about 1,200 m (3,900 ft), where it was found growing on rocks on a hill outside of San José de Maipo.

These areoles, particularly at the margins, tend to have a slightly squamulose structure and can sometimes develop small lobes that rise from the base, growing up to about 1 mm in length.

The discs are a darker shade of yellow than the thallus and have a smooth surface that is pruinose due to granular epihymenial pigments.

In its type locality in central Chile it thrives on rock formations situated on semi-arid, partially exposed hill slopes.