The plants range in color from yellowish to dark brown, and they create slender, spherical cushions with uneven grooves and twists. They are anchored by rhizoids that develop from the lower epidermal cells. The thallus is irregularly lobed, with star-shaped or antler-like protrusions. When the plants are young, their thalli are solid, but as they age, they become hollow in the middle. Numerous small reproductive structures are scattered on the surface and are associated with structures called paraphyses and small hair-like appendages.