Thallus short, tufted, expanded and crusty, dark olive-green to brown in colour. Filaments multiseriate or uniseriate, 35–75 μm in diameter, erect, fasciculate; sheath firm, gelatinous, lamellated, uncoloured to yellow-brown in colour. Trichomes 4–6 times multiseriate in the main branches, less so in lateral branches. Vegetative cells compressed globose, or subquadrate, 9–15 (–18) μm in diameter. Heterocytes common, lateral, similar size to vegetative cells. Hormogonia uniseriate, developing at the ends of narrow branches, up to 18 μm wide.

Specimens examined:—Coomera R. at Lamington Natl Park, Binna Burra Section.

Other records:— Queensland: Tributary of Sanamore Lagoon, Cape York, A.B. Cribb, 1985, (BRI 1043.3), Hermit Ck, near Benthams Falls, E.A. Brown, 2001 (NSW 884756), McLeod (1975); New South Wales: Lord Howe Is., Brown 2000, Conn & Downs, 2000, McCarrs Ck, Kur Ring-Gai Chase Natl Park, Entwisle, 2000, Adeline Falls, Lawson, Blue Mountains, Entwisle, 2001, (NSW 491960); Tasmania: Uno Gully, Meetus Falls Road, Entwisle, 1996, (MEL 2033635A).

Observations:—Growing amongst Scytonema and other filamentous cyanobacteria on granitic boulders in the splash zone of clear high-altitude streams.