Thallus usually erect, densely tufted and richly branched, pulvinate, lobes 1-5 cm long, 3-8 mm wide, occasionally becoming lax and pendent, pale- to dull grey-green. Branches cylindrical or somewhat angular, slightly flattened, hollow, appearing inflated, with a web-like lax medulla and cartilaginous subcortex. Surface sometimes longitudinally fenestrate and lacunose. Isidia and soralia absent. Photobiont trebouxioid.
Anamorph: not recorded.
Teleomorph: ascomata apothecia, terminal, usually numerous, often appearing at one level (umbel-like), sometimes totally obscuring the thallus lobes, short-stalked. Thalline margin soon becoming ± excluded. Disc concave, becoming flat or convex when mature, concolorous with or slightly paler than the thallus, pruinose. Epithecium nt clearly differentiated, sometimes appearing dark in water mounts. Hypothecium hyaline. Interascal tissue of fairly thick-walled paraphyses, copiously branched especially in the apical region, within a colourless gel. Asci clavate, Bacidia-type, 8-spored. Ascospores 12-15 (-18) × 5-6 (-7) μm, mainly kidney-shaped, rarely broadly ellipsoid, 1-septate, hyaline, quite thick-walled, smooth, without an epispore or gelatinous sheath or appendages.
Chemistry: medulla C–, K–, KC–, Pd–, UV–, (usnic and evernic acid complex).
Assessed by Woods & Coppins (2012) as of Least Concern. The species was considered by Fletcher et al. (2009) to be very sensitive to air pollution, but it is now common and very widespread.
A polymorphic species. Thalli are normally in somewhat globose tufts, with the apothecia facing the light at the same level. In moist sites the thallus is paler, frequently fenestrate and rarely fertile. Very narrow, straggling morphs occur with an almost transparent thallus when wet and numerous angled branches giving the thallus a spiny appearance. Coarse straggling morphs of Ramalina fastigiata could be confused with R. calicaris, which has tougher, channelled branches usually containing sekikaic
acid.
Widely distributed throughout Great Britain, though less frequent in central and northern England; perhaps due to historic pollution levels. BLS map here.
On trunks or twigs of well-lit, wind-exposed hedgerows or parkland trees with nutrient-rich bark, rarely on rocks, generally absent from hilly areas.