[1] Swinscowia was proposed in 2020 by lichenologists Shu-Hua Jiang, Robert Lücking, and Emmanuël Sérusiaux to contain non-foliicolous species that were isolated from bark and rocks.

[4] Swinscowia is a genus of lichens that grows on bark and rocks, occurring in environments ranging from temperate mountain regions to tropical areas.

The lichen forms a crust-like growth (thallus) that typically lacks a protective outer layer (cortex) and appears whitish to brownish in colour.

These spores (ascospores) are translucent and divided into segments by cross-walls, usually having 3-7 compartments, though some may develop a more complex, grid-like (muriform) internal structure.

The genus also produces smaller reproductive structures called pycnidia, which appear as tiny black dots on the surface.