General: Medium to large stratified foliose lichens, corticate above and below, isidiate or not, lobes loosely attached, rotund, 1–3 mm wide, thin. Upper surface whitish to yellowish, pseudocyphellate or not, shiny. Lower surface black, shiny, lacking rhizines. Medulla white. Photobiont green. Apothecia unknown in B.C. material, located on lobe margins.
Notes: Asahinea, a recent arctic-alpine segregate of Cetraria, is comprised of three species worldwide. Two of these have been reported for B.C.
Species description: Upper surface whitish (except blackening where exposed), isidiate
Comments: Asahinea chrysantha (Tuck.) Culb. & C. Culb. has also been reported for B.C., but the record is doubtful.
Reactions: Cortex K+ yellow; medulla KC+ reddish, PD- or PD+ orange in upper portions.