This conspicuous lichen forms large dense clusters 20 to 60 millimeters (mm) tall. The branches of Cladonia lichens arise from spore-producing structures and not from the vegetative body of the fungus as is the case with other branched lichens. The pale yellowish-gray, more or less glossy-surfaced podetia grow in intricate tufts. This lichen occurs on a barrier island in the Florida panhandle (Okaloosa County) and in scrub vegetation in central Florida south of Lake Placid (Highlands County), at Jonathan Dickinson Park near the southeastern coast in Martin County, and (subject to confirmation), a nearby site in northern Palm Beach County. There is a reasonable possibility that the lichen will be found at widely scattered localities elsewhere in Florida. However, very extensive searches have shown that this is an extremely rare lichen.