Vermilacinia cerebra is classified in the subgenus Cylindricaria in which it is distinguished from related species by the thallus divided into tubular inflated or somewhat compressed fan-shaped branches.

The species appears transitional between V. cephalota, which produces soredia, and V. leoparidina which develops subterminal apothecia, and lacks depsidone lichen substances.

[1] These features are evident in a 2012 image of the thallus from Palos Verdes Bluffs,[2] possibly near the northernmost range of the species on the California mainland.

Zeorin and (-)-16 α-hydroxykaurane are the major lichen substances that are always present along with bourgeanic acid and an unknown compound referred to as T3 by its relative position on a thin-layer chromatography plate.

[7] The genus Vermilacinia is distinguished from Niebla by the absence of chondroid strands, and by major lichen substance predominantly of terpenes.