A fruticose species with long (4-7 cm., occasionally longer) cylindrical branches, ca. 1mm diam. and dark-brown to black in colour (but the tips paler). Lateral spinules 2-7mm long are numerous, arising at right-angles to the main stems. Soralia are present arising from pseudocyphellae. Soredia are often sparse, but a characterisic of the species is that they are mixed with short spinules arising in tufts from the soralia. Apothecia and pycnidia are unknown.
Chemical Tests: C-, K-, KC-, Pd-
This is a well-defined species characterised by its soredia mixed with short spinules and the Pd- chemical reaction. It most resembles B. bicolor, but that species lacks soralia, is Pd+ red and rarely grows on trees.
On ancient trees of Quercus robur in sheltered but rather well-lit situations. Also occasionally on rocks.
Scandinavia, , C. Europe, Asia, Hawaii. S.W. England (Devon and Dartmoor). According to the lichen flora (2009) probably extinct in Scotland and Wales.
| Location | Grid Reference | Last Rec'd | Recorder(s) | SSSI |
| Caernarfon: "New Glyder" | SH 65 | 1788 | ? | |
| Caernarfon: | SH 87 | 1960 | Unknown | ? |
| Meirionydd: Moel y Ffridd | SH 54 | 1923 | D.A. Jones | ? |
| Meirionydd: Llyn Bodlyn | SH 62 | 1877 | T. Salwey | No |
| Meirionydd: "Lake above Llyn Bodlyn" | SH 62 | 1862 | W. Borrer | No |
| Meirionydd: Cwm Mawr | SH 635 319 | 1959 | S.A. Manning | Yes? |
"Lake above Llyn Bodlyn" - this could be Llyn Dulyn at SH 662 244
"Moel y Ffridd" - I've scanned by eye SH54 in 0S 1:10,000 map in Mapinfo but couldn't find Moel y Ffridd (Alan Hale).
"New Glyder" - "on montane boulders
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UKBAP Signposting Actions:
| 1. | Welsh sites need to be visited and the species searched for. Also, continue a follow-up to monitor the B. smithii sites at Black Tor Copse - very important, as these seem to be the last surviving populations known at present. |
| 2. | Monitor habitat and species, at least every 6 years, at extant sites to ensure that nitrogen deposition is controlled and that boulders are not shaded to to low grazing levels. |
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