It is variable with either curved or stellate apothecia. The ascomata are apothecia or are closed structures of various forms derived from apothecia. It lacks fruiting bodies (apothecia). They usually bear the fungal pycnidia or apothecia or both. The lichen produces large apothecia, a reproductive structure. This likely refers to the lecanorine apothecia of species belonging to the genus. It has dark purple-brown apothecia all over. Ascospores produced in the apothecia are forcibly discharged into the air starting at petal fall. Apothecia (small mushroom-like structures) form on mummies lying on the ground. In the spring, needle-shaped ascospores are released from overwintering apothecia in fallen leaf debris. Very few ascospores are ejected from the apothecia if the temperature is less than . Other lichens with apothecia having margins made of thallus-like tissue are called lecanorine. They are all lecideoid, meaning they have apothecia without a thallus margin containing algae. Many lichens have apothecia that are visible to the naked eye. The apothecia may be few to very crowded at the thallus center.